Johnnie Gough V.C.

[armourersergeant]

I have just finished this book and found it a very imformative and an easy read.

Whilst it is easy to see that the author is very pro Gough it is also easy to see that this officer served in some extordinary places, including Somaliland and Africa. He was a strong advocate of the Staff College and became a teacher there who earnt wide ranging respect from many students and fellow teachers.

The book covers his career that spanned his involvement in British Central Africa where he held a remote command and made decisions well out of his rank. He also saw service in The Sudan and Crete, at the seige of Ladysmith and other action in the Beor War. His actions in Somaliland earnt him a VC and much cudos.

He was not without his opinions and played a major part in the 'Curragh Incident' of March 1914, in as much as you can see that he was by far the 'cleverer' of the two Gough brothers. Johnnie worked very hard behind the scenes during the uproar and near mutiny to promot the unionist side.

During 1914 he is protrayed as a calming influence on Haig though how true this part is can be under some scrutiny as Beckett is known as an 'anti Haig' writer and certainly this comes across in this part, but it cant take away the good Staff work that Gough did.

His death was a sad loss for the army as i beleive he would have gone very high in the command structure as he was certainly one of the young Generals on the climb. By far better than his brother Hubert. though it is also mentioned that he was an ill man and may not have been able to carry on for the course of the war due to this illness he was suffering from.

To summarise i found the book not only interesting from Gough's own achievments but a good study of some of the lesser known wars of the time. It also helped me clarify why he and Forestier-Walker did not get on.

A good read and well worth the 7.95 i paid for it (IMO)

Arm.

[ianw]

Arm,

What does this book say are the main causes of the spat between JG and FW ?

[armourersergeant]

During the Somaliland expedition in 1903 Gough was a column leader and Forestier-walker was on the Staff. Gough sent in a report, his first report as a commander and as such it is intimated that it may not have been of his best in certain respects. F-W had it returned saying it lacked facts etc and Gough had to re do it and then send it back.

It would appear that from here on Gough had a downer on F-W that he never let go. It does not appear that F-W was the same, all the animosity seems to come from Gough side down the years (thopugh this may just be the impression i get ) but in 1914 it does appear that it put a strain on communications between the two corps as well as the fact that Haig and Smith-Dorrien were not bossom buddies.

It does mention that F-W was BGGS to Paget in Ireland during the Curragh Incident but it also states that Hubert Gough believed F-W to be striaght on that matter. I have seen the letter on this and it does appear that F-W was not anti the 'Mutineers' and thus it seems not to have come from this date, though it may be fair to say that had it been simmering from 1903 then this may have in Gough's eyes have re opened the wound.

Arm.

[andigger]

Arm. Having just read his book on First Ypres, and liking it as you know, I am tempted to give this one a try. I have to admit, I have done little if any research into specific personalities of WWI. Do you think this book is introspective enough to offer insight into Johnnie Gough and his background without getting lost in the pre-war specifcs?

Andy

[armourersergeant]

Andy,

It is by the same chap as the previous one on ypres, so the style should be the same.

That said it does cover alot of pre war, seeing as he died in feb 1915! This to me is not a problem though. I think it is very important in understanding what and where the officer corps came from and what shaped their thinking.

I enjoyed the book and would recommend it. It is not a long or 'hard' read so you should not get bogged down.

regards

Arm