Born 1883 – Died 17th-18th December 1917

1st Battalion of the Royal Irish Rifles

William Alexander Waugh was born in India. His father, who had died before 1917, had lived in Rawalpindi. He was a cousin of Margaret Lockwood, the film actress, who was also born in India. William became a professional soldier and enlisted in the Royal Irish Rifles. He played the trombone and was in the Regimental Band. At the time of his death he had risen to the rank of Company Quarter Master Sergeant.

Alf Chapman, the son of Thomas and Rose Chapman of Cromer Hyde, was in the same regiment and they became good friends. Alf talked so much about his beautiful sister Rose that William began to write to her. The correspondence blossomed so that when the regiment returned to England Rose travelled up to Liverpool to meet him off the ship. They married in 1915 and their daughter, Ethel Evelyn was born on the 29th of April 1916.

William died, aged 34, during the night of the 17th/18th of December 1917. In the morning he was found drowned. He is buried in Zudausques Churchyard, a small village six miles west of St.Omer, Pas de Calais, France. There are only three war graves in this churchyard. William Waugh and two airmen killed in 1940.

When Rose learnt of the death of her husband she went to France as a nurse leaving her baby daughter with her mother. In 1921 she married Percy Edward Catlin and they had two sons. From the Bishop’s Hatfield Parish Magazine 1918 Lemsford News. 'Since our last issue, yet another name has been added to our Roll of Honour, Coy. Quartermaster W. A. Waugh, Royal Irish Regiment was reported ‘found drowned’ in France. His wife, a daughter of Mr Chapman of Cromer Hyde, had recently settled in Stanborough; she is left with one small child. Much sympathy will be felt for her in her sorrow. On March 17th a Memorial Service was held in the church for the late Quartermaster Sergt. Waugh and for Private Ernest Mardle whose death was reported in our last issue. A large congregation was present; appropriate hymns were sung and an address given by the Rev. H. Moore.'

No record of attending St John's School