Geoffrey Charles Gough

Rank 
Lieutenant
Regiment 
Canadian Infantry
Date of death 
17 August 1915
Age of death 
23
Address 
Holmwood
Grove Hill
South Woodford
Woodford
RED
E18 2HZ
Address source 
1901 Census
Cemetery / Memorial 
Belgium
Biography 

Charles Geffrey Gough was born in Clapham, south London, in 1892. He was the son of Charles, an assistant secretary to a brewing firm, and Selina Buckett. In 1901, Charles was living with his family at ‘Holmwood’, Grove Hill, South Woodford, which remained the family home for some years.

In about 1910, Geoffrey emigrated to Canada, where he lived in the North West Province, undertaking a range of jobs. When war was declared, he was a partner in a firm transporting goods for a railway company. On 23rd September 1914, Geoffrey enlisted in the 1st Canadian Infantry Battalion (Western Ontario Regiment), giving his occupation as a packer. He declared himself a member of the Active Militia (19th Alberta Dragoons) with previous service in the RFA and RNWMP. He was soon commissioned, holding the position of Battalion Machine Gun Officer.

Charles was sent to Belgium and France, where he died from wounds sustained on the 15th August 1915. He was due to be withdrawn from the trenches on 14th August 1915, but that was not possible and he remained on the front line.

On his death certificate it is written: ‘He was sitting in the Company Headquarters Dugout on the 15th August, 1915, having lunch with some other officers, when a shell burst nearby, a piece of shrapnel from same coming through a small opening in the dugout and striking him in the head. He was removed to 1st Field Ambulance at Romarin, where he succumbed two days later.’ The Battalion attended his funeral there at 10:00 the next day.

He is also remembered on his father’s gravestone at Chingford Mount Cemetery.

Research by Adrian Lee, Local Historian

Sources:

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Ancestry.com

Archives Canada

Woodford Times