Name
William Alexander Waugh
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
17/12/1917
34
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Company Quartermaster Serjeant
1/6135
Royal Irish Rifles
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ZUDAUSQUES CHURCHYARD
Near North boundary.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
We are not aware of any memorial in Stanborough
Pre War
William was the son of the late Mr and Mrs John Waugh of Rawalpindi, India; husband of Rose Waugh of Cromer Hyde, Hatfield, Herts. Born in 1883 Lemsford
Local information suggests the following:
William Alexander Waugh was born in India. His father, who had died before 1917, had lived in Rawalpindi. He was a cousin of Margaret Lockwood, the film actress, who was also born in India. William became a professional soldier and enlisted in the Royal Irish Rifles. He played the trombone and was in the Regimental Band. At the time of his death he had risen to the rank of Company Quarter Master Sergeant.
Henry Chapman, the son of Thomas and Rose Chapman of Cromer Hyde, was in the same regiment and they became good friends. Henry talked so much about his beautiful sister Rose that William began to write to her. The correspondence blossomed so that when the regiment returned to England Rose travelled up to Liverpool to meet him off the ship (Note: it is not clear if this was when his regiment returned from Aden and landed at Liverpool on 22 October 1914 or an earlier occasion).
They married in 1915 and their daughter, Ethel Evelyn was born on the 29th of April 1916.
The Soldiers Died In The Great War database records that he was born in Rawal Pindi and he had enlisted in Calacutta, but in the First World War his hime address was recirded as Stanborough.Hants.
Wartime Service
William died, aged 34, during the night of the 17th/18th of December 1917. In the morning he was found drowned. He is buried in Zudausques Churchyard, a small village six miles west of St.Omer, Pas de Calais, France. There are only three war graves in this churchyard. William Waugh and two airmen killed in 1940.
When Rose learnt of the death of her husband she went to France as a nurse leaving her baby daughter with her mother.
From the Bishop’s Hatfield Parish Magazine 1918 Lemsford News. 'Since our last issue, yet another name has been added to our Roll of Honour, Coy. Quartermaster W. A. Waugh, Royal Irish Regiment was reported ‘found drowned’ in France. His wife, a daughter of Mr Chapman of Cromer Hyde, had recently settled in Stanborough; she is left with one small child. Much sympathy will be felt for her in her sorrow. On March 17th a Memorial Service was held in the church for the late Quartermaster Sergt. Waugh and for Private Ernest Mardle whose death was reported in our last issue. A large congregation was present; appropriate hymns were sung and an address given by the Rev. H. Moore.'
Additional Information
After his death £1 7s 2d pay owing was authorised to go to his widow, Rose, 9 July 1918 xx on 15 March 1919. Later a war gratuity of £5 was authorised to be paid to her/him on 7 November 1919.
His pension cards record Rose as his widow and next of kin, living at Stanborough, Nr Hatfield. Herts. It also records their child as Ethel Evelyn (b 29/4/1916). She was awarded a grant of £5 on 12 March 1918 and later a pension of 24s 2d a week from 2 September 1918.
His widow married Percy Edward Catlin In 1921 and they had two sons.
Acknowledgments
Jonty Wild, Andy Chapman & www.lemsfordww1.co.uk
