HUGHES, Harry
| Service Number: | 4994 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 12 January 1916, Brisbane, Qld. |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 25th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Monmouth, England, 1893 |
| Home Town: | Mount Gravatt, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Herefordshire England |
| Occupation: | Carpenter |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 14 November 1916 |
| Cemetery: |
Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery, Souchez XXX A 8 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Brisbane Albert Street Uniting Church Honour Roll, Holland Park Mount Gravatt Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 12 Jan 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4994, 25th Infantry Battalion, Brisbane, Qld. | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 May 1916: | Involvement Private, 4994, 25th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Seang Choon embarkation_ship_number: A49 public_note: '' | |
| 4 May 1916: | Embarked Private, 4994, 25th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Seang Choon, Brisbane |
Help us honour Harry Hughes's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Ian Lang
Son of Henry and Annie HUGHES, 'Ferndale', Creek Road, Mt Gravatt, Brisbane, Queensland
Harry Hughes was born in Monmouth, England. He had attended school in Herefordshire before being apprenticed as a carpenter. At age 20, he emigrated to Australia with his parents; Annie and Henry Hughes. At the time of his enlistment, Harry gave his parents’ address as “Ferndale”, Creek Road, Mount Gravatt.
Harry enlisted in Brisbane on 12nd January 1916 and after a short period of training embarked on the “Seang Choon” in Brisbane with the 13th reinforcements of the 25th Battalion. The reinforcements landed in Alexandria in June 1916. The 25th Battalion had already left Egypt for the Western Front and so the reinforcements were diverted to England.
After the battles of Pozieres in July and August 1916, the 25th battalion was in need of fresh replacements. Harry joined the battalion in a rest camp in Flanders on 2nd October 1916. The battalion would soon go into the line at Flers, the final battle that would conclude Haig’s Somme campaign.
The attack at Flers was an attempt to move the front line forward out of the mud onto some high ground around Bapaume. The attack failed; by some accounts because the 25th and 26th Battalions were delayed waiting for rations to come up, and recriminations were swift. Both the commanding officers were dismissed. On 14th November 1916, Harry was listed as Missing. His parents were advised by telegram.
Harry’s parents made enquiries through the Red Cross to seek some news of their son’s fate, as well as writing to base records in Melbourne. The Red Cross interviewed a number of survivors of the 25th’s action at Flers, but none were eye witnesses. The army wrote to Pte Cliff Hughes (see above) at the prompting of Harry’s parents. Cliff’s reply was to state that he was not a relative of Harry (in spite of a similar surname and both coming from Mount Gravatt) and that further information may be obtained from a Private Wilson who was on board a hospital ship bound for Australia.
Eventually on 14th March 1917, a Court of Enquiry was held and determined that in the absence of a prisoner of war record or hospitalisation record, Harry Hughes would now be listed as Killed in Action. Harry’s parents received parcels containing his personal effects; a testament, devotional books, diary, wallet, photos and a broken mirror. These items would have been collected from Harry’s kit which had been placed into storage before going into action.
Remarkably, when scattered graves were being consolidated into dedicated cemeteries, a grave was located with identity discs that identified Harry Hughes. There is no way of knowing who buried him on the battlefield. His remains were exhumed and reinterred in The Cabaret Rouge British Cemetery near Arras. His parents were provided with three photographs of his grave as well service medals, a memorial plaque and scroll in the 1920’s.
Harry Hughes was one of a number of men from Mount Gravatt who served in the 25th Battalion. Cliff Hughes (above) and Frank Trim (see below) enlisted at the same time as Harry and went through training and sea voyages together.