Private 16602 Harry William Hughes

Photo courtesy of The War Graves Photographic Project.

Died Balkans on Thursday, 22nd June 1916, age 27.
Buried in Grave I. B. 6. at Sofia War Cemetery, Bulgaria.

10th Bn., Hampshire Regiment. 29th Brigade of 10th Division.
Formerly 48741 Royal Garrison Artillery.

Son of George and Mary Hughes, of 40 The Coppice, Leabrook Road, Tipton, Staffs.
Born: Tipton, Enlisted: Wednesbury, Resident: Unknown.

First landed Balkans, 3rd October 1915.
Medal entitlement: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.

Commemorated on the Tipton Library Memorial.
Commemorated here because he appears on a Tipton memorial.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/472963/

Genealogical Data

Birth of Harry William Hughes registered December quarter 1888 at Dudley.

1901 Census
70 Gospel Oak Road, Tipton, Staffs.
George Hughes (38, Labourer, born Hanbury), his wife Mary (52, born Hanbury), and their 2 children: Harry (12, born Tipton), and Thomas (9, born Tipton).

1911 Census
40 The Coppice, Leabrook Road, Tipton, Staffs.
George Hughes (48, Labourer at Chemical Works, born Hanbury), his wife Mary (62, born Hanbury), and their 2 children: Harry William (22, Boiler Stoker at Chemical Works, born Tipton), and Thomas (19, Bricklayer at Chemical Works, born Tipton).

Personal Data

After Harry's death, his outstanding army pay and allowances amounted to £10/13/0d (10 pounds and 13 shillings); this was paid to his father, George, in December 1916. His War Gratuity was £7/10/0d (7 pounds and 10 shillings), this was also paid to his father in August 1919. The value of the War Gratuity suggests that Harry had enlisted in approximately October 1914.

Harry's mother, Mrs Mary Hughes, was granted a Dependant's Pension of £0/5/0d (5 shillings) per week, effective from 6th February 1917. Her address was 40 The Coppice, Leabrook, Tipton.

Action resulting in his death

The 10th Hampshires (10/Hants) landed at Anzac Cove in Gallipoli on 6th August 1915, but were withdrawn to Mudros on 29th September. It was in Mudros that Harry Hughes will have joined the 10/Hants as they sailed on the Troopship Franconia to Salonica, landing on 3rd October 1915.

Harry died on 22nd June 1916 in Sofia, Bulgaria, whilst a Prisoner of War. His Pension Card records his cause of death as “Died of Consumption whilst a Prisoner of War”. Consumption was the name commonly used at that time for tuberculosis. He is buried in Sofia War Cemetery.

We cannot be certain, as no records survive to prove it, but it is a strong possibility that he was taken prisoner on 7th December 1915 during the Battle of Kosturino. On this day the 10/Hants had 75 Other Ranks killed, their worst day in Salonica.

The British and French landing in Salonica had been a belated attempt to support our Serbian allies who were being overrun by the Bulgarians. The British marched 50 miles north to strategically important area between the Kosturino Pass, Vardar and Lake Doiran, today in Macedonia but then in Serbia.

On the morning of 7th December, the Bulgarians attacked the outnumbered British troops, with the main weight falling on the 5th Connaught Rangers and 10/Hants. All morning the battle raged with every assault repulsed by rapid fire. At 14:00, the Bulgarians streamed down the ‘Hill of Howth’ under cover of machine-gun and artillery fire, and attacked the Connaught Rangers and remaining 10/Hants. The Connaught Rangers and 10/Hants were forced into retreat, and the 10/Hants fell back to Crete Simonet after coming under enfilade fire.

The battle continued for a couple more days, but ultimately the British withdrew back across the border in neutral Greece. This had been a clear Bulgarian victory, but had allowed the escape of the remaining Serbian army.

On the 7th December and subsequent days, the 5th Connaught Rangers had just over 100 men killed in the action, and the 10/Hants around 75 men killed. It is a strong possibility that this action was when Harry Hughes was taken prisoner.

Newspaper Cuttings

None.