Willington Cemetery
18/1122 Corporal
C. Waugh
Northumberland Fusiliers
10th April 1918. Age 27
Son of Jane Waugh, of 8, Park Crescent, Spennymoor, and the late Robert Waugh.
Pauline Priano has submitted the following
Christopher Waugh was born in 1890 at Willington, County Durham, the youngest of 9 children, 6 sons and 3 daughters. His father Robert Waugh was born at Gilesgate Moor, Durham in 1851 and married in 1873 to Jane Cox of Sherburn Hill, Durham born 1847. They settled at Page Bank, Stockley where Robert was employed as a coal miner, ten years later he was joined at the colliery by Robert Jnr (18) and William (15). By the age of 50 Robert Waugh was a deputy overman, William (25) still worked as a coal miner, his brother Ralph (17) and Thomas (15) were pony drivers whilst Nicholas (21) was employed by the Co-operative store as a hardware man, Christopher (10) was a scholar, their daughter Elizabeth was married whilst Jane Ann (23) helped her mother with domestic duties and looking after her youngest sibling Hannah (13), also living with them was Jane’s brother William Cox (49) employed as a hewer.
July 17th 1902 Robert Waugh deputy overman at Page Bank Colliery died aged 51 leaving his worldly goods to his widow Jane who by 1911 was living along with her brother and sons Thomas and Christopher at 18, Steavenson Street, Bowburn, Coxhoe with her now married daughter Hannah and husband John Cuthbert Morley. All male members of the family were employed as coal miners.
Christopher Waugh enlisted at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, October 15th 1914, assigned as Private 1122 to the Northumberland Fusiliers and transferred to the 18th (Service) Battalion which February 8th 1915 converted to the 1st Tyneside Pioneers and in June joined the 34th Division at Kirkby Mallard. After training at Ripon and Salisbury Plain they departed to France landing at Le Havre, January 8th 1916. They saw action on the Somme at the opening day July 1st at the Battle of Albert at La Boisselle until the 13th and the Battle of Bazentin Ridge July 14th-17th, in 1917 they participated during the Arras Offensive and in Belgium at the Third Battle of Ypres. During his service he was promoted to the rank of Corporal.
Having been seriously wounded Corporal 1122 Christopher Waugh Northumberland Fusiliers was repatriated and sent to the Military Hospital at Trent Bridge housed within the cricket pavilion which had been converted to house the wounded and by 1917 had become one of the best equipped hospitals in the country saving servicemen who had been disabled in action from becoming permanently disabled. Despite their best efforts Corporal Waugh died April 10th 1918 aged 27 years.
At the request of his mother Jane living at 8 Park Street, Spennymoor his body was transported home for burial with full military honours at Willington Cemetery. Although the transport would have been organised by the Army it would have been at the expense of the family. She received a pension and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
His brother Nicholasalso served during WW1 as Gunner 143577 13th Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery. He died of wounds July 5th 1916 and was interred at Wimereux Communal Cemetery, grave II. N. 12A. Aged 36 years, he left a widow Frances and daughter Mary aged 5 years. Recipient of the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Their mother Jane Waugh nee Cox died in the district of Durham in 1936 aged 89 years.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Christopher Waugh is remembered at Spennymoor on S131.02, S131.03 and S131.11
