Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Lawrence Charles Raymond (Blue or Ray) Hughes was born 21st May 1918 at Orroroo, youngest child and second son of Alfred Lawrence and Ethel Blanche Watts (nee Heron) Hughes. Arthur farmed Sections 120, 122 and 133, Hundred of Willowie in partnership with Hugh Travis, the third son from Alfred’s first marriage to Catherine Sabina (nee Prosser) Hughes.

Lawrence was known as Ray, and was 22 years of age and working as a Porter for the South Australian Railways (SAR), when he enlisted with the Militia on 6 December 1939 at Gladstone. On enlistment he was assigned to the 9/23 Light Horse Regiment, part of the 6th Cavalry Brigade. He went into camp with them from the 10 February through to the 25 April before being discharged to join the AIF on 1 June 1940.

Ray enlisted in the AIF on the 22 June and marched into RDD Wayville. He then moved to Woodside, in the Adelaide Hills, on the 17 July where C Squadron of the 8 Cavalry Regiment was being formed. He was assigned SN SX8085.

He was farewelled at Gladstone by his colleagues from the SAR on 12 July, 1940 and the Areas' Express Booyoolee reported:

‘PTE. HUGHES LEAVES GLADSTONE.There was a large and representative attendance at the Gladstone Institute on Thursday, July 4, when farewell was said to Pte. Ray Hughes prior to leaving Gladstone. Mr. J. F. O'Neill presided, and said that Pte. Hughes was well and favourably known and had been employed in the railway department for several years. At a recent function he had the pleasure of hearing a glowing tribute paid to their guest by the S.M., Mr. W. Gillespie, and he had always found him to be a particularly fine workmate, a splendid character and one who would be equal to any task that was in front of him. No one could do more than he was doing offering his life for King and Country, and they who could not go away must stand behind their heroic comrades. He extended to him best wishes for the future and hoped for his speedy return.’

On 7 October 1940 he was graded Group II Driver Operator. C Squadron was moved to Seymour at the start of November and the next month 8 Div Cav Regt was reassigned to 9 Division and was renamed 9 Div Cav Regt. The Regiment embarked for the Middle East on 10 April 1941. Ray may have been involved in the fighting against the French in Syria but he went off to the Royal Armoured Corps (RAC) School on the 13 June, prior to the Syrian Armistice.

On 6 August he rejoined his unit which was based at Homs, in Syria, before it moved to Aleppo in September and back to Palestine to rejoin the 9th Division. He was appointed Lance Sergeant on 7 November 1941. The unit returned to Aleppo in January and to Latakia in March of 1942, where he was promoted to Acting Sergeant 11 June 1942, prior to attending RAC School. He passed a Gunlayer’s Course, rejoining his unit in mid July. At this stage they were back in Egypt and fought the defensive battles around El Alamein before the main offensive in November. They were withdrawn to Mughazi in December.  

Ray left the Middle East with the unit 24 January 1943, reaching Sydney in late February. After some leave they assembled at Kairi (Qld). He was detached to 2/13 Bn as an instructor for several weeks in May 1943, before a stint in hospital from August to early November.

As a Division Cavalry Regiment was not suited to jungle warfare, 2/9 Cavalry Regt reorganized as 2/9 Cavalry (Commando) Regt in December 1943, with 2/11 and 2/12 Commando Squadrons (Cdo Sqn).  Ray joined 2/11 Cdo Sqn. They moved to Ravenshoe in January 1944, and he was then posted to 3 Division Jungle Warfare School at Kairi in late January/early February. Whilst on leave Ray married Jean Harris 24 February 1944 at the Methodist Church, Pirie Street, Adelaide.

After his wedding he rejoined his unit in Queensland. In May he sustained an injury which saw him in hospital for a period of time. An inquiry into the nature and cause of the injury by the investigating officer found that ‘an injury was sustained by SX8085 Sgt. Hughes L.C.R. The injury was caused while Hughes was playing football when Sgt. Hughes fell on his outstretched hand after colliding with another player’

The 2/11 Cdo Sqn left Townsville for Morotai 23 April, landing at Labuan with 24 Inf Bde  on 19 June, then onto the mainland.  After the cessation of hostilities, they were part of Sandakan Force which supervised the Japanese surrender in eastern North Borneo. Roy emplaned at Labuan to return home on 25 September 1945 and was discharged  from the AIF 17 October 1945. He had served for a total of sixty two months of active service.

Ray and Jean had one child, a daughter, born whilst Ray was overseas. After his discharge from the army they lived at Warradale. He returned to work with the South Australian Railways. Due to his war service he was able to retire at age 60 years.

Ray passed away 9 September 1992 at Daw Park aged 74 years and is interred at Centennial Park Cemetery, Pasadena, South Australia with his wife.

Excerpt taken from "Diggers From The Dust" (2018) Di Barrie and Andrew Barrie.