Alfred Hough
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Alfred was born in 1888 (birth registered J/A/S Chorley, Lancashire), the son of Frederick Hough and Annie Hough nee Delaney, later Logan. Frederick was born in Bellemount, Lancashire, and Annie Delaney was born in Dublin in about 1860. They were married at West Gorton St Mark, Manchester, on 27 December 1880 when Annie was 20 years old. Frederick's father was John Hough, Annie's was Joseph Delaney. In 1891 Frederick (33), a book maker's clerk, and Annie (29) were living in Manchester. They had three children, Nelly (b. 27 June 1885, baptised in Manchester cathedral on 2 December 1885), Caroline (5, b. 1886) and Alfred (3, b. 1888). All the births were registered in Chorlton, Lancashire. The registration of Frederick's death has not yet been traced, but his widow married Ernest Logan in 1896 (marriage registered J/A/S Chorlton Lancashire). Neither Annie's children by her first marriage nor her second family have yet been traced on the 1901 Census. However, In 1911 Annie (42) and Ernest (37, b. Fareham, Hants) were living at 24 Lord Street, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. Ernest was a house painter (employer). They had been married for 15 years and had had four children of whom only three survived. Only two children were at home on the night of the census: Margarethe (14) and Annie (7). Both girls were born in Manchester suggesting the family had not moved to Mansfield before 1904. In 1911 Alfred (22) was a boarder at 57 Mount Road, Hinckley, in the household of Ann Hollier (66) a widow with two daughters, Ellen (23) and Ethel (21) still living at home. Alfred married Florence Alice Holden (b. abt 1884) after the census; the marriage was registered in the Hinckley registration district in J/F/M 1912. Alfred's wife was born in Ealing, Middlesex, to James Stover Holden (b. Ealing) and Alice Holden (b. Wartham). In 1911 James (52) and his wife Alice (53) were living at the Queen's Road Nursery, Hinckley - James (52) was a nurseryman on his own account. They had had ten children all of whom, including Florence (27), who was a forewoman at a laundry, were living at home. Two years after their marriage Alfred and Florence's daughter, Florence Joan, was born on 7 May 1914 but her mother died shortly afterwards at the age of 30 (death registered A/M/J 1914, Hinckley registration district). When Alfred attested in 1915 he named his mother, Annie Logan, and his daughter, Florence Joan Hough, as his next of kin (no addresses given on Attestation papers). Alfred's address at the time of his death in November 1917 was Thornecroft Road, Hinckley (Probate). His daughter Florence was in the guardianship of Thomas King of 37 Hill Street, Hinckley, Leicestershire, at the time of her father's death. According to army records, formal notification of Alfred's death was sent to his daughter, presumably directed to her guardian or main carer, on 17 December 1917. It is not known whether Thomas King was the child's relative (perhaps by marriage) or if he was an appointed legal guardian but one with whom Florence did not normally live. No trace of Florence Joan has yet been found after this period.
89th Field Ambulance temporarily attached 1st Bn Essex Regiment. He attested on 3 April 1915 when he was 26 years and 11 months old. He was promoted sergeant on 6 April 1915 and by the end of the year was sent overseas and served first in the Dardanelles and then in France. Service: Home 3 April 1915-12 September 1915 (163 days). Mediterranean Expeditionary Force 13 September 1915-16 March 1916 (185 days). British Expeditionary Force France 14 March 1916-30 November 1917 (1 y 259 days). Total service: 2 years 242 days. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial, Louverval.
Boots 'Comrades in Khaki', December 1915, 'Eastern Epistles':Boots 'Comrades in Khaki', December 1915, 'Eastern Epistles' (photograph of ‘a typical stony road in the Gallipoli): ‘In a second epistle Sergt. Hough says: ‘I wonder how many Boots Boys are here in the Dardanelles – Boots preparations are almost as common here as at home, and most parcels from home to the boys contain one of more of the familiar lines. This is the finest country in the world to defend, and no people but the British with their powerful fleet could have landed here. People at home cannot understand the great difficulties of the work, which is all done under heavy shell fire, for the Turkish guns are in such positions that there is no part of the Peninsula occupied by us that they cannot shell. The sun is very hot during the day, and a very heavy dew soaks through everything during the night. Water is neither too plentiful nor too wholesome, and sand and flies cover all foodstuffs. The advanced dressing station of this Field Ambulance is well within rifle-shot range of the Turkish trenches. From here we send out bearers who bring in the sick and wounded of the 88th Brigade. We re-dress wounds, feed the men who can take nourishment, and inject morphia to those in pain. Then they are passed on to the casualty clearing stations, when they are sent aboard hospital ships. When an urgent operation is necessary we use a stretcher on two panniers as an operating table, and a hurricane lamp for illumination at night. Shells are flying about all day and every day, but during the night we hear only rifle fire and explosions. The wounded Turks are very grateful for anything we may do for them. After one engagement a Turk, wounded in the arm, who was with a small group of our men, and who was the only one in the group who could walk, found a well and supplied each of our men with a drink. Some of the Turkish trenches are quite elaborate affairs, but very dusty, and often they contain a month’s supply. All supplies are taken to our trenches by Indian Mule Transport at night-time. About once a week we get a printed copy of war Office telegrams, and in the meantime, in the absence of news, all sorts of optimistic rumours float around and we eagerly await the return of the NCO who goes to the beach at night to draw supplies. Last night he brought back fresh rumours: that a new landing had been made at ---; ... that the Germans were in the last three lines of trenches in Flanders; and … The War Office telegrams are never so optimistic as our nightly rumours, though.’ (Nottinghamshire Archives, RB.38) His mother Annie Logan was his legatee. Probate: Hough Alfred of Thornecroft-road Hinckley Leicestershire sergeant RAMC 1st battalion Essex regiment died 30 November 1917 in France on active military service Administration (with Will) Leicester 4 June to Annie Logan (wife of Ernest Logan). Effects £219 17s. 6d. Article published in the Mansfield Reporter and Sutton Times 4th January 1918 :- “SERGEANT ALFRED HOUGH. “Sergeant A. Hough, son of Mrs. E. Lomas, Lord-street, Mansfield, was killed in action in France on November 30th. He was in the R.A.M.C., but was recently attached to the Essex Regiment in probation for commission. On the day following his death he was to have come to England on leave. As a boy he was employed by Mr. North, Bingham, but he subsequently went into the employ of Messrs. Boots, and from being an errand boy with the firm he rose to be manager of the Hinckley branch. After being married twelve months he lost his wife. He was one of the very first in Hinckley to offer his services, and though he was at that time rejected by the army authorities, he managed to secure an army post as a dispenser in the R.A.M.C. He got into khaki in March, 1915, and subsequently served with great gallantry at Gallipoli and Egypt, afterwards being transferred to the Western Front at his own request. When at the Dardanelles the deceased had many thrilling experiences. On one occasion he made fourteen journeys up country in one day to fetch in the wounded. He was in practically the last boat which left Gallipoli after the evacuation by British forces.” Above article is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918
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