Benjamin Lewis Hague
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Benjamin Lewis Hague was born in 1885 in Nottingham and was the son of Benjamin a warper in the lace manufacturing industry and Laura Hague. His father was born in 1864 and his mother in 1866 both at Nottingham. They married in 1891. Benjamin’s siblings were Lily b.1888, Emma Amelia b.1890, Isaac b.1892, Harold b.1894 and Annie Laura b.1898. Benjamin Lewis married Edith May Merring (born 1887 Newark) in 1906 at Nottingham. They had four children two dying in infancy. The survivors were Louis Charles b.1909 and Sydney Frank b.1910. In 1911 they lived at 10 Rathbone Place Nottingham. In the same census his parents were living at 30 Bateman Street Bobbersmill Road Nottingham.
Benjamin Hague enlisted at Nottingham and landed in France on 27th October 1914.
Menin Gate Panels 8 and 12 Two days before his death, excerpts from a letter he sent to his mother in Nottingham were printed in the Nottingham Evening Post (22nd May 1915). ‘22 DAYS IN THE TRENCHES. NOTTINGHAM MAN’S BRAVE STAND. “I am still safe, although I have come through the roughest time of my life.” In these words Sergt. B. Hague, of the 2nd Northumberland Fusiliers, and son of Mrs. Hague, 117, Brushfield Street, Birkin Avenue, Nottingham, opens a letter which gives a brief but vivid description of his experiences. “What was left of our battalion,” he writes, “came out of the trenches yesterday morning after being in 22 days, and every man was completely dead beat. We have had an awful time, and lost heavily. The whole lot of us have been complimented by the general, and I in particular, as I held the line with 60 men. It is in all the French papers about us, and the gallant stand we made so I expect you will get it in the English papers shortly. There were thousands of Germans attacking us, but the lads all stuck it, and drove the blighters back.”’ Article courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918 Hague's birth was registered A/M/J/1885 so he may have been 30 when killed
