Soldier – Hague, John – “Iron” Hague’s Brother Commended.

August 1916

Mexborough and Swinton Times, August , 1916

Mexborough Pluck

Battle Stories
Mexborough Pluck
Comrade’s Tribute to Brave Lad

The following letter has been received by Mr F.J. Law, of the Montague Arms Hotel, Mexborough, from Lance Corporal Herbert Butler, who is in hospital at Southport:

“Dear Sir,

You will forgive me for writing to you, as I have not had the pleasure of knowing you personally; but I have been to your place many a time before the war. But I thought I should like to say a few words about one of your boys from Mexborough.

His name is well known in the rain and France. The man I refer to Johnny Hague. I happen to be in the same company as he is, although I never had much to do with him myself. I know what sort of men you have sent from Mexborough. The reason that I’m sending to you as I should just like to say a few words, which I am sure he deserves. I have seen him in many boxing competitions out there, and win or lose, he was always a sport and liked by all.

But I also want to let you know what I saw on 1 July. I wonder, as our battalion was first over, and things were a bit warm. I crawled to a place not far from German lines, and there was ‘Johnny’ hard at it. There were a lot of us, and he was dressing these brave lads just as if he was in the ring looking after is man, as cool as a cucumber and a smile on his face. It was simply hell, as they say with the lid off. I hope the kids are all right, and that he gets what he deserves.

I hear that he has been recommended for the DCM, which I’m sure he was well worth. I hope you’ll forgive me writing, but I thought it only fair to let you know, for one, for one wish him the best of luck. I should have written you before, but I have only had the use of one hand until this week.

Lance Corporal John Hague is the youngest of the two soldier sons of Mr and Mrs John Hague, of 2 Sarah Street, and is in the K.O.Y.L.I. His brother “Iron Hague”, the well-known heavyweight boxer, has been in France several months with the Grenadier Guards, and was recently on home furlough from the front.