Private 65700 John Henry Lees Hughes

Killed in Action on Friday, 30th August 1918, age 19.
Buried in Grave B. 6. at Morval British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France.

13th (2nd Rhondda) Bn., Welsh Regiment. 114th Brigade of 38th Division.
Formerly 63574 50th Training Reserve Bn and TR/4/31742 53rd (Young Soldiers) Bn, Welsh Regiment.

Son of Mrs. R. Hughes, of 10/36 Tenth Street, Trafford Park, Manchester.
Born: Tipton, Enlisted: Manchester, Resident: Trafford Park, Lancashire.

First landed France & Flanders, 6th April 1918.
Medal entitlement: British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives survived and transcribed.

Not commemorated on any Tipton memorial, but commemorated on Stretford Town and Trafford Park Village Memorials.
Commemorated here because he was born in Tipton.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2740177/

Genealogical Data

Birth of John Henry L. Hughes registered December quarter 1899 in Dudley. His Birth Certificate shows that he was born on 1st September 1899 at 43 Bell Street, Tipton.

1901 Census
43 Bell Street, Tipton, Staffs.
Mr Robert Hughes (27, Platelayer GWR, born Dudley), his wife Ruth (26, born Tipton), and their son: John (1, born Tipton).

1911 Census
427 Fourth Street, Trafford Park, Manchester.
Mr Robert Hughes (37, Brickmaker, born Dudley), his wife Ruth (37, born Tipton), and their 2 children: John (11, born Dudley), and May (5, born Dudley).

Personal Data

John was ‘deemed to have enlisted’ on 1st October 1917 when he was 18 years and 1 month of age. At his medical examination at Hulme Town Hall on 1st October, he was 5 feet 6¾ inches tall, weighed 119 pounds, had a 35-inch chest, and his Physical Development was noted a “Good – will develop”. His occupation was Brickmaker and his religion was recorded as Church of England.

John was actually called up on 13th October and posted as Private 63574 to the 50th Training Reserve Battalion at Prees Heath Camp, Whitchurch, Shropshire. On 7th November, he was transferred to the 64th Training Reserve Battalion still based at Prees Heath Camp. At this stage Training Battalions were not associated with a specific regiment, but the system changed in October 1917. The 64th Training Reserve became the 53rd (Young Soldiers) Battalion, Welsh Regiment, when he was re-numbered to TR/4/31742.

Initial training was with a Young Soldiers Battalion, but after approximately 3 months the recruits were transferred to a Graduated Battalion to complete their training. On 16th February 1918, John was transferred to the 51st Graduated Battalion, Welsh Regiment. He was now based at Kimnel Park, Bodelwyddan, near Abergele, North Wales.

The German Spring Offensive began on 21st March 1918 and the casualties made reinforcements a matter of urgency. John was given a period of pre-embarkation leave from 26th March, but it appears that he was re-called from leave after just one day, on 27th March. On 5th April, he embarked from Southampton and landed at Havre on the next day where he was posted to the 13th (2nd Rhondda) Battalion, Welsh Regiment.

Foreign travel did not agree with John, and just 2 days later, on 8th April, he was admitted to No. 25 Stationary Hospital, Rouen, with “Rose Measles”. It was 2 weeks later, on 25th April, when he re-joined the 13th Welsh who were located on the Somme.

After John’s death, his outstanding army pay and allowances amounted to £4/1/5d (4 pounds, 1 shilling and 5 pence); this was paid to his mother and sole legatee, Ruth, in February 1919. His War Gratuity was £3/0/0d (3 pounds exactly), this was also paid to his mother in December 1919. The value of the War Gratuity suggests that John had enlisted within the 12 months prior to his death.

John's mother, Mrs Ruth Hughes, was awarded a Dependant's Pension of 15/0d (15 shillings) per week from 18th March 1919. This appeared to be reduced to 11/0d (11 shillings) per week from 17th June 1919. Her address at that time was 1036 Tenth Street, Trafford Park, Manchester.

Action resulting in his death

The 13th Welsh had a comparatively easy time after John joined them in the field at the end of April 1918 despite the Germans having launched their Spring Offensive on 21st March. During July they were withdrawn for rest and, with some foresight, training for fighting in woods.

On 5 August, the 34th (Welsh) Division returned to the area of Aveluy Wood, south of Thiepval. From then to the Armistice on 11th November, they were involved in heavy action with little respite. On 8th August, the British Army started a series of attacks which drove the Germans back until they were beaten and forced to request an Armistice – this became known as the “Hundred Days”.

The 38th (Welsh) Division were to drive the Germans back from Thiepval Ridge, advance to Pozieres, re-group, and then push on past High Wood and Delville Wood to Lesbouefs and Morval. On 23rd August, 13th Welsh was temporarily split between the other 2 battalions of 114 Brigade (14th and 15th Welsh), and 114 Brigade captured Thiepval Ridge, and on the next day captured Pozieres. The 2 other Brigades of 34th (Welsh) Division captured La Boisselle, Ovillers, Contalmaison and Mametz Wood.

On 26th August the 13th Welsh we re-formed just in time for their significant contribution to the capture of High Wood on the next day. On 29th August, 13th Welsh captured Delville Wood, a feat which had taken six weeks in July 1916. The advance was then held up by German resistance in Morval – a strong German position. After prolonged bombardment 114th Brigade captured Morval on 1 September.

Sadly, John Hughes would not see the success at Morval as he was killed on 30th August. The 13th Welsh War Diary entry for 30th August records: “Battalion advanced on MORVAL but were held up by Machine Gun fire and forced to remain in trenches before their objective. Battalion mourns the loss of their Adjutant, Capt. C J Bolton MC killed, and Lieut. A D Morris (‘D’ Company) also killed. 2/Lieut. C J Jones received a bullet wound.”

The 11 Other Ranks killed, including John Hughes, did not receive a mention in the War Diary. John Hughes, and 7 of his comrades killed that day, are buried in Morval British Cemetery.

Newspaper Cuttings

None.