British and World Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

British War Medal 1914-20 (Capt. E. J. F. Gough) suspension damaged and part missing, otherwise good very fine £50-70

Eric John Fletcher Gough was born on 20 November 1888, the only son of Major T. A. Gough of 9 Onslow Crescent, London, S.W.1, and was educated at Westgate School and at Eton. He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the 7th (Special Reserve) Battalion Rifle Brigade, in September 1906. Transferring to the 1st Battalion Irish Guards in 1909, he was promoted to Lieutenant in 1911 and advanced to Captain in September 1914. With the Guards he landed in France on 12 August 1914 and fought in the retreat from Mons and in the actions at Landrecies, Etreux, Villers Cotterets and in the Battles of the Marne, Aisne and 1st Ypres.

The Irish Guards in the Great War, by Rudyard Kipling states: ‘On the 30th December [1914], Captain Eric Gough was killed by a stray bullet while commanding his Company (No.1) and was buried next day in a cemetery a few miles along the Bethune-Richebourg road. He had been Transport Officer since the battalion left London in August but had commanded a Company since 21st November and was an immense loss to the battalion to which he was devoted’.

Captain Gough was buried in the Le Touret Military Cemetery, Richebourg-L’Avoue, Pas de Calais, France.

He was mentioned in Sir John French’s despatches of 31 May 1915 (London Gazette 22 June 1915). Entitled to the 1914 Star with clasp and Victory Medal.