Corporal #802938
William was born in Parkhill, Ontario to Richard James and Anna (Winter) Gough on May 19th, 1895. He was the older brother to Erva, Marjorie and Grace. The family moved to Strathroy after the death of his father Richard James, in 1910. William enlisted at the age of 20 in 1916. As a member of the 135th Battalion, he left his job as a dry good clerk in “Gents Furnishings” in Strathroy to go overseas on the 22nd August 1916. He had risen in rank to Corporal with the 135th but reverted to Private to proceed overseas. On the breakup of the 135th, he joined the 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles.
On the 26th of August 1918 “, while taking part with his company during an attack on Lancer Trench near Monchy-le-Preux, he was hit in the head and instantly killed by an enemy machine-gun bullet”. This was part of the 2nd Battle of Arras which took place between August 26 and September 3, 1918. It included the Battle of the Scarpe (August 26-30, 1918) and the Battle of Drocourt-Quéant (September 2-3, 1918). William along with 42 other WWI soldiers rest in Orange Hill Cemetery Feuchy France. The cemetery was constructed by the Canadian Corps at the end of August 1918.
On September 15, 1918, there was a memorial service held at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Strathroy in honour of Private William Gough as well as Private Alexander Newton. A marker was also placed by the family at the Strathroy Cemetery.
In the mid-1920s the Gough family (Anna, Erva, Marjorie and Grace) moved to the Windsor area.
[Source: Strathroy – Caradoc Museum]
