Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Llewellyn Hughes 1877-1917
 
Llewellyn Hughes was my great grand uncle, the brother of my great grandfather Henry (Harry) Hughes and I wish to honour his memory and pay tribute to his ultimate sacrifice. Llewellyn (also known as Lew) Hughes was born on 12 October 1877, the 15th child of 16 children to Sarah Ann Brownlow Hughes (nee Woolnough) 1837-1919 and William Henry Hughes 1827-1915. He was born to a pioneering farming family on the property ‘Bungeboomah’ and his birth was registered at Dubbo NSW. His father was a sheep overseer aged 51 years and his mother was aged 40 years. He had five brothers (William, Roland, Francis, Charles and Henry) and nine sisters (Eliza, Sarah, Mary Ann, Phoebe, Ada, Edith, Frances, Jessie and Janet) all living at the time of his birth. Another sister, Hester, was born two years after his birth.
 
His family lived in the Gulgong, Spicer’s Creek and Wellington, NSW areas and he grew up in a rural setting, hunting and shooting rabbits for the family meals. The family rode in buggies, had horses and managed livestock and provided their own entertainment as many of the extended family played musical instruments, sang songs or recited poems. Llewellyn had an ex nuptial son, Reginald, born on 1 March 1903 to a local girl Bridget Mary Cain born in Mudgee. They moved to New Zealand where they married on the 1 October 1903 in Wellington, NZ. Llewellyn worked as a sheep overseer in Masterton and the Hawkes Bay Area of the North Island for several years. The couple subsequently had a further three children in NZ - Carl born in 1904, Evelyn (Evie) born in 1905 and Ida born in 1912. Unfortunately, Bridget, his wife, died of tuberculosis of the lungs in Hawkes Bay in 1913 and this prompted a return to Australia to his extended family where he settled near to them in Wongarbon, NSW. He worked at his sister and brother in law's general store at H A Murrays in Wongarbon.
 
On 20 March 1916 he joined the Australian Infantry Force in C Coy Dubbo Depot Battalion presumably to support the war effort and for financial reasons. He was aged 38 years and six months (somewhat older than his compatriots), 5 foot 8 inches tall, weighed 144 lbs with 36 inch chest measurement, medium complexion, grey eyes, light brown hair and Church of England denomination. He transferred to the 18th Battalion at Liverpool on 15 June 1916. On 11 July he was in A Coy 18th Battalion Liverpool. He embarked on the ‘Ceramic’ from Sydney on 7 October 1916 after posing for the obligatory photos in uniform (one taken alone, another with his beloved elderly widowed mother now living in Pennant Hills in Sydney and another with his youngest daughter, Ida, now living with her aunt in Neutral Bay Sydney. On the day they sailed he was immediately reported as seasick and spent four days in the ship’s hospital. This was to be the longest overseas journey of his life.
 
He disembarked at Plymouth on 21 November 1916 and marched into Rollestone on the 10 December 1916. He proceeded to France with the 18th Battalion on the 13 December 1916 as a Private, marched into Etaples to join his unit on the 16 December, then joined his CO 18th Battalion on 3 February 1917 and endured the harsh winter, muddy trenches and fierce fighting. On the 3 May 1917 he was reported missing and then confirmed killed in action at Bullecourt, France with his body still lying in a field there and to this day never recovered. Statement made by Pte Cracknell (5788 E C 18th Battalion) stated that “I did not personally see L Hughes shot but was told by Pte D Oliver (5937) that he was shot through the head chest and stomach and fell back into the shell hole which was just inside the German wire.” He was 39 years old. His memorial is at Villers Bretonneux #16184094, Australian War Memorial and Wongarbon War Memorial in the grounds of the local Wongarbon Public School.
 
His effects of safety razor and blades in case, metal wristwatch with strap and cover and a pocket wallet with a bullet hole in it were forwarded to his eldest son Reginald, aged 14, who was also named as his next of kin. Llewellyn's children who were now orphans were divided up among his siblings since he left for war and this now became a permanent arrangement with his children each receiving a pension. I have visited the Bullecourt field in Frances where Llewellyn Hughes' undiscovered body lies and it was roughly pointed out to me the area of the ploughed field where he may be. I recorded my visit in a remembrance book, lit a candle in the tiny stone chapel on a freezing cold day and talked with the mayor and people of the tiny village who never forget the sacrifice of the Australian soldiers.
 
His son Reginald Hughes lived with Llewellyn’s sister, Eliza Shearman and her family at Goolma and he became a Grazier. His son Carl Hughes lived with Llewellyn's brother, William Hughes and his family at Spicer’s Creek and he became a Shearer and Grazier. His daughter, Evelyn Margaret Hughes lived with Llewellyn’s sister, Jessie Teresa Murray and her family, at Wongarbon but tragically died in 1928 aged 23 years. His youngest daughter, Ida Mary Hughes lived with Llewellyn’s sister, Frances May Gimbert and her family at ‘Bungy-Booma’ (named after the property where Llewellyn was born),73 Young St, Neutral Bay in Sydney and she became a Teacher. The siblings, children and their families remained in contact over the subsequent years but their lives changed forever with the loss of Llewellyn. His son, Reginald received Llewellyn's Victory medal, Star Medal and British War Medal and a Memorial Plaque.
 
“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old. Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.”