Lieutenant John Bloomfield Gough

Lieutenant John Bloomfield Gough, Mentioned-in-Dispatches,” D “Battery, Royal Horse Artillery . He was killed in action on the 8th September 1914, aged 28, during the actions in the advance to the River Aisne, France. He was the son of Colonel Bloomfield Gough late 9th Lancers (buried at Leitholm, Berwickshire ) and the husband of Marian Gough of Belchester House, Leithom. He had been born in Tipperary, Ireland in 1886 and was educated at Haileybury College and was commissioned into the R.H.A. in 1906. He had been stationed in Ireland on the outbreak of War and landed in France on 17th August 1914.   He is buried in Perreuse Chateau Franco British National Cemetery. This family had won three Victoria Crosses. Major Charles Gough was awarded the Victoria Cross during the Indian Mutiny for an accumulation of gallant actions in 1857.. Lt. Hugh Gough also won his Cross during the Indian Mutiny for capturing two heavily defended guns at the Alumbagh on 12th November 1857. ( see below ) Major John Gough was given his award  for his bravery in Somaliland on  22nd April 1903 in attempting the rescue of a wounded fellow officer under heavy fire. Johnnie Gough died of wounds  on 22 February 1915 after being hit in the stomach by a German sniper. At this time he was a Brigadier General and Chief of Staff of the British 1st Army. His Headstone is inscribed ” Until The Day Break”. (His two brothers Owen and Rupert also fell – see above ). The R.H.A. normally used the Quick Firing 13 pounder gun as pictured below. ( This particular gun is allegedly the gun that fired the first British artillery shell of the War ).