S7150
HUGHES, Clarence John
| Service Number: | 3384 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Sapper |
| Last Unit: | 6th Field Company Engineers |
| Born: | Thebarton, South Australia, 3 February 1895 |
| Home Town: | Parkside, Unley, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Parkside Public School |
| Occupation: | Tailor |
| Died: | 4 January 1982, aged 86 years, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia Memorial Plaque. Cremated ashes not in cemetery. |
| Memorials: | Adelaide Grand Masonic Lodge WW1 Honour Board (2), Parkside Public School Roll of Honor, Unley Town Hall WW1 Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 24 Nov 1915: | Involvement Sapper, 3384, 6th Field Company Engineers, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '5' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Ceramic embarkation_ship_number: A40 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 24 Nov 1915: | Embarked Sapper, 3384, 6th Field Company Engineers, HMAT Ceramic, Sydney | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement 3384 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Adelaide Botanic High School
Clarence John Hughes was born in Adelaide in 1895. His parents were Percival Hersey Hughes and Jane Maria (Armstrong) Hughes. Clarence grew up with 4 brothers and 2 sisters in Parkside, Adelaide. He attended Parkside Public School. His brothers William Percival and Sidney Herbert also served in WW1. At enlistment Clarence was 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighed 66kg, and had grey eyes and fair hair.
Clarence enlisted on the 18th of July 1915 at 20 years old. Before this, he was employed as a tailor. Upon enlistment, his marital status was single. On the 24th of November 1915, Clarence boarded the HMAT A40 Ceramic where he embarked from Sydney to Egypt. The purpose of this was to undergo training as the role of a sapper in the unit, 6th Field Company Engineers, who were responsible for digging trenches and specific maintenance work and engineering. However, later, on the 12th of January 1916, Clarence transferred to the role of a Driver, where he had tasks to transport horse-powered wagons which hauled tools, equipment, and explosives for field engineering jobs. Along with caring for the horses and mules so they would stay healthy for efficient supply transportation.
After training, Clarence disembarked to Marseilles, France on the 27th of March 1916. On the 21st of April, Clarence was admitted to a Field Ambulance with a fever, then to the Casualty Clearing Station to rest and recover. He rejoined the unit 26th April 1916 and was remustered as a Sapper nearly a month later, taking on field duties in the same unit (6th Field Company Engineers.)
Clarence was promoted to Lance Corporal on the 7th February 1917. He was granted leave to England in July 1917 for mental and physical recovery purposes after extended service on the front line. A couple of weeks later, Clarence returned to Marseilles, France to continue working in the role of a Lance Corporal within the unit.
On the 29th of September as Clarence was demoted from Lance Corporal back to the role of a Sapper at his own request. Clarence, however, was once again promoted on the 4th November 1917. In January 1918, he took leave in Paris rejoining the unit 25th January. The following month he requested to revert to Lance Corporal. Again he was promoted in July 1918 to Temporary 2nd Corporal. He took leave in the UK in August and was hospitalised with a nasal obstruction. He was returned to Australia, medically unfit, diagnosed with Neurasthenia and Mycocarditis. He departed England 20th September 1918 and arrived back in Adelaide 3rd November 1918. He was discharged 23rd February 1919.
He married Alice Hewett Bartlett 16th October 1920. They had 3 children Alice Joan (1921-1972) Nancy Jean (1923-1983) and John Hughes (1927-2006)
He later passed away on the 4th of January 1982 and is commemorated at Centennial Park Cemetery. His name features on the Honour Boards of Parkside Public School. Grand Masonic Lodge and Unley Town Hall.