A Nantwich war hero who earned the Victoria Cross is to have a commemorative stone laid in his honour.
Stanley Henry Boughey will be remembered in the town as part of the World War 1 centenary events in 2014.
2nd Lieutenant Boughey, whose family lived at Yew Tree Farm in Hurleston, Nantwich, died in action in Palestine in December 1917.
He was just 21 years old when he armed himself with bombs and single-handedly forced the surrender of a party of 30 enemies during a battle in El Burff.
Stanley, of the Royal Scots Fusiliers, was killed as he turned to go back for more bombs when the enemy were surrendering. He is buried in the Gaza War Cemetery.
An extract from the “London Gazette,” dated 12th February, 1918, records: “For most conspicuous bravery. When the enemy in large numbers had managed to crawl up to within 30 yards of our firing line, and with bombs and automatic rifles were keeping down the fire of our machine guns, he rushed forward alone with bombs right up to the enemy, doing great execution and causing the surrender of a party of 30. As he turned to go back for more bombs he was mortally wounded at the moment when the enemy were surrendering.”
Stanley’s family was from Nantwich, but moved to Liverpool where he was born, before returning to South Cheshire.
Each Victoria Cross recipient in Britain will have a stone laid in his or her home town as part of the World War 1 centenary commemorations in 2014.
Cllr David Marren, of Nantwich Town Council, said: “This should be positively supported and we should offer this support to his family.”
(Pic courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org)
Hello Mr Lawrence, interesting to read your comments re my uncle. Love to hear all about where you come into the family tree. Please contact me when you have time.
Please allow me to correct my opening comment. I unfortunatley made a mistake the first sentence it should have read. “Stanley Boughey was born Stanley Henry Parry Cornes in 1896 in Liverpool to a single mother Lucy Cornes of Acton, Cheshire.”
Stanley Boughey was born Stephen Henry Parry Cornes in 1896 in Liverpool to a single mother Lucy Cornes of Acton, Cheshire. Lucy married James Boughey in 1901 at St Mary, Acton. In the 1901 census Lucy, as a young bride, is living with James and his parents at the family farm – Yew Tree Farm, Hunstanton. It is very noticeable that Stanley Cornes is not living at the farm. Indeed he is not shown with the family until 1911 when James & Lucy have moved to Blackpool. In the 1911 returns Stanley is shown as a stepson and has taken the name Boughey. While we should always remember such brave men how tenuous is the link to Nantwich. If his link to Nantwich is proven to be more concrete could the Nantwich Town Council make certain the Cornes do not lose out in any remembrance. Stanley was born a Cornes and was only a Boughey by adoption.
While attending Acton school, Stanley lived with his uncle Thomas Cornes at Reaseheath. Thomas is stated as Stanley’s parent/guardian in the school records. While at Blackpool, Stanley attended Claremont school, and he was living with his mother and stepfather. He alternated between the two schools and addresses.
Yew Tree farm, the Boughey family (tenanted) farm was adjacent to New farm, where Lucy Cornes had lived.
Kind regards
Colin Reed Blackpool