George Henry Bougen was born in Bradford in 1888 the son of Charles Boughen born in Terrington, Norfolk in 1859 and Harriet Ann also born in Terrington in 1860. Their eldest children Mary Hannah and Harriet Ann were born while the family were living in Manchester. By 1887 they had moved to Bradford where the rest of their family were born, Charles, George Henry, Walter, Elsie and Hilda. In 1891 the family were living at 52 Chandos Street and Charles was serving in the Police Force as a police constable. By 1901 they had moved to 18 Salisbury Street and the three eldest children were working as wool winders or wool spinners. In 1911 the family had moved to Eccleshill living at 20 Peterborough Terrace and Charles is still serving

as a police constable. George Henry is working as a bag weaver. On the 15th February 1913 George Henry was married at St Luke’s Church, Eccleshill. He was 24 years old working as a labourer and still living at 20 Peterborough Terrace. He married Hetty Bairstow, 19 years of age, living at 315 Bolton Road, the daughter of John Bairstow, a dyers labourer. Their only child Edna was born in 1915. At the time of his enlistment George was employed by Messrs. Ambler on Valley Road. George Henry enlisted in the Durham Light Infantry as Private 302546 on the 27th October 1916

in Halifax. His attestation papers show that he was 28 years 274 days old, a weaver, married and living at 5 Fletton Terrace. At the end of May 1917 he arrived at the Western front and four months later took part in the British Offensive operation at the Menin Road Ridge. This battle formed part of the 3rd battle of Ypres begun on the 20th September 1917 lasting for five days until the 25th. The attack was successful along the entire front but George lost his life being killed in action on the first day. He was 29 years old. He is buried at the Hooge Crater Cemetery which was created on the 19th July 1915 by the mine fired by

the 175th tunnelling company and used for those deceased between 1917 and 1918. The Rev. E G Wells Chaplain to the Regiment sent the following letter offering sympathy to the mother of George. “I want to offer you on behalf of his officers and myself our earnest sympathy at the death of your son. May God help you in your trouble and give you patience and courage to bear your sorrow and may he have mercy on all those who have so gallantly laid down their lives for their home and country”. His wife Hetty received the war gratuity of £3. 0. 0d on the 16th January 1920. Unusually he had no other effects to leave having died owing 10d to the army. Researched and written by Jean Britteon, to whom many thanks.