Tales from the Front (14)

Genealogical war memorials for Bournemouth’s fallen

1st Battle of Ypres: October 26th, 1914

Introduction

Tales from the Front (14) tells the story of George Francis Slade Hague, a Bournemouth native who fought in the Great War. Hague (sometimes known as Egg) enlisted with the 1st Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment. The 1st Battalion fought with the 6th Brigade, 2nd Division, 1st Corps. Hague, 25, fell on October 26th, 1914, during the fighting around Zonnebeke, part of the 1st Battle of Ypres.

Tales from the Front (14): Part 1

New type of war

Hague had received an introduction to institutional life when he entered the workhouse as a child. He had extended that context by enlisting in the army while still a teenager. Several years of garrison life in India may have created a sense of safety: peaceful patrols, drill-square exercises, spit-and-polish. By the time the Berkshires reached the Ypres salient, however, those feelings would have evaporated. Perhaps trained to form a square when attacked, they could do nothing with this against continuous artillery shelling or sniping from unknown sources. The old war had died at Le Cateau. Survival had become the new imperative. Fierce hand-to-hand fighting in the mud, bloody bayonets, and endless noise. This type of war could make men ‘terror-stricken’ refugees from the front line, appalling Sir Douglas Haig. Since arriving at Ypres ten days before, the Berkshires had prospered, but a murderous time on October 26th awaited.

Tales from the Front (14): Part 2

Rags-riches-rags

On both sides, Hague’s family derived from rural labouring families, dwelling in Hampshire and Somerset. According to the 1851 census, however, his paternal grandfather appears to have enjoyed success. It listed him as a farmer residing in Boldre, Hampshire, an employer of labour. His holdings reached 140 acres, enabling him to leave a small estate. The second son, Tom, became a carpenter, a skilled rather than manual labourer. His wife, however, of Somerset origin, had come from a farm labourer’s household, where her mother had to knit gloves. Neither Tom nor Elizabeth, his wife, could sign their names on the marriage certificate; both wrote an X. Tom and his wife moved to Pokesdown. After apparent initial success, he may have experienced adversity. In 1901, Elizabeth and some children lived in Basingstoke. Tom boarded in Croydon. The 1901 census listed George Francis Slade Hague as an inmate of a Hampshire workhouse.

Workhouse apprenticeship

An inspection of the Ashurst workhouse inmates recorded by the 1901 census suggests that, at that time, it may have functioned as an industrial school for teenage males. Apart from the master, his family, and two servants, the inmates consisted of young working males. Each had an occupation, manual and skilled labourers. If Hague’s father had encountered employment problems, he may have placed his son here to learn a trade. Workhouses, which housed males of all ages, could pose dangers for younger inmates. Hague lived here with his peer group. The armed forces became an employment option for workhouse children as they approached adulthood. Hague had taken this choice. He enlisted at age 17. At this time, after three years, he could have received a discharge, returned to England, and joined the reserve. The 1911 census shows that he remained in India. He may have stayed until the war began.

Tales from the Front (14): Part 3

The sad day

These October days at Ypres involved the Berkshires in extensive action. By now, the Allies had learned of the threat represented by the enemy’s artillery. Constant shelling occurred during most days. Another aspect of the fighting consisted of small, vicious encounters centred on local objectives. Some men in D company noticed the enemy installing a battery about 800 yards away. This prompted the Berkshires to direct heavy fire at this emplacement. Many of the enemy’s horses died, making it impossible to remove guns except by manhandling. With help from a French unit, the Berkshires captured the remaining gun. At dawn the next day, the British discovered the Germans had dug a trench only 5 yards from theirs. By the day’s end, the Berkshires had prevailed. They killed or captured many enemy soldiers. This did not occur without loss, however. Several officers fell, plus, of course, Hague, sometimes known as Egg.

Aftermath

In 1911, the census placed Hague’s father back in Basingstoke, living with his wife. By now, all the children had gone their separate ways. One boy had already joined the Royal Navy by 1901, and another became a coastguard. No other evidence of military service has emerged. The other siblings, brothers and sisters, when found, had manual jobs. Part of the family emigrated to Canada and the USA.

On October 26th, the Berkshires had lost 26 men, their most expensive day of 1914. For the rest of October and during early November, they participated in the shapeless sprawl of warfare in the Ypres salient. The pattern consisted of attack and counterattack: yin and yang. Localised actions centred on a patchwork of such villages as Zonnebeke, Gheluvelt, and Veldhoek. The German pressure on Ypres had reduced. At Christmas, they enjoyed football, concerts, and Christmas cards from the King.

Takeaway

Tales from the Front (14) has followed the life, world, and military service of George Francis Slade Hague (1889-1914), who served with the 1st Royal Berkshires. Among the original Old Contemptibles, Hague and comrades fell during fighting conducted near Zonnebeke, part of the 1st Battle of Ypres. Their deaths contributed to the quick elimination of the original BEF, an invaluable force of trained professionals. When they vanished, so did the old world.

‘Tales from the Front’

A collection of personal stories honouring the Bournemouth natives who gave their lives on the battlefield and the regiments with which they served. Blending social and military history with genealogical insight, it explores their roots, families, occupations, and the ultimate sacrifices they made for their country.

Set against the backdrop of regimental war diaries and enriched by period media accounts, the series offers a powerful and intimate portrait of Bournemouth’s wartime heroes — a mosaic of personal courage within the broader sweep of history.

Serving as a companion and continuation of Victorian Bournemouth, Tales from the Front forms part of News from the Past: History for the Rest of Us.

References

For references and engagement, please get in touch. Main primary sources: here and here (subscriptions needed). For War Diaries, go here. See also here. The featured picture shows an imagined scene.