In the 17th century, David Digues La Touche left France for Holland to escape persecution after refusing to renounce his Huguenot protestant faith.

The Digges (Digues) La Touche family can be traced back to aristocratic roots in 16th century France. In front is Alexander junior (born 1899). Mary and her husband lost both of their teenage sons in WW2.Ībove: The Digges La Touche family. One of their two sisters, Mary, was married at Ossett Holy Trinity Church to William Reginald Balden of Dewsbury, the son of the Borough’s Lord Mayor, who served in the fledging Royal Air Force towards the end of the WW1.

He entered the Royal Naval Service a year or so later at the age of 16 years. from August 1914 and the other son, Alexander Arthur, born in December 1899, became a Navy Cadet in 1912 and was still a cadet at Dartmouth on the day WW1 began in 1914. One son, John James, known as Jack, born in 1892, served with the R.A.M.C. However, one extraordinary family who lived in Ossett, the Digges La Touche family, had two sons who were commissioned officers. Both were from Ossett mill owning families. Eli Townend Archer and George Edward Jessop were the only Commissioned Officers, Lieutenants, of 302 Ossett men who died in service during WW1. Research has shown that the majority of Ossett men who served in WW1 were Private soldiers and whilst more than a few advanced to become N.C.O.s, Corporal and Sergeant rank, very few Ossett men were Commissioned Officers in the WW1 Armed Forces. John James Digges La Touche, Captain, Royal Army Medical Corps R.A.M.C.Īlexander Arthur Digges La Touche, Lieutenant Commander, Royal Navy

La touche family history