Houghton, Henry
Sapper
No. 1914295, Royal Engineers
Killed in a motor-cycle accident on Wednesday 9 October 1940 (aged 26)
Buried:
Old Leake (St. Mary’s) Churchyard, Lincolnshire, England
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
BIOGRAPHY
Henry Houghton’s birth was registered in the first quarter of 1914 in Boston, Lincolnshire and he was a son of Arthur Francis Houghton and Rebecca Burr Houghton (nee Duchars) of Old Leake, Lincolnshire. His name was registered as Henry Duchars. Arthur Francis Houghton was a soldier and he and Rebecca Burr Duchars were married on 6 October 1914 in Wrangle Parish Church, Lincolnshire. Their marriage was registered in Boston, Lincolnshire and they had three children:
Henry
Gladys whose birth was registered in the third quarter of 1915 in Spilsby, Lincolnshire
Sidney whose birth was registered in the second quarter of 1919, also in Spilsby.
In October 1930 Rebecca Burr Houghton (nee Duchars) married Thomas Cropley and she died on 11 May 1977 (aged 84).
There is evidence that Arthur Francis Houghton served as Alfred Franklin Houghton during the First World War.
Private Alfred Franklin Houghton (No. 28285) who was born in Oldham, Lancashire served with the 1st/4th Battalion (Territorial Force), Loyal North Lancashire Regiment (formerly No. 26171, Training Reserve Battalion) and was killed in action on the Western Front on 18 November 1917. He was buried in Villers-Faucon Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme, France.
During the Second World War Sapper Henry Houghton (No. 1914295) served with the Royal Engineers and he was 26 and stationed in Northern Ireland when he died as a result of an accident on 9 October 1940. A verdict of accidental death was returned at an inquest held in Ards District Hospital. Sapper Houghton died from head injuries sustained when his motorcycle was involved in a collision with a mineral water lorry on Comber Road, Newtownards. The lorry was being driven by James Eardley of Eblana Street, Belfast.
Sapper Henry Houghton was buried in Old Leake (St. Mary’s) Churchyard in Lincolnshire and there is an inscription on his CWGC headstone:
REMEMBRANCE
IS A GOLDEN CHAIN
THAT BINDS US
TILL WE MEET AGAIN