Description

For sale is a 1914 Star, British War and Victory Medals – all named 9281 PTE G. HUGHES. 2/WELSH R. They come with copies of service records, medal rolls, MIC and POW extracts.

George Hughes was born in Llanerchymedd, Anglesey, Wales in 1889. A labourer by trade he enlisted into the Welsh Regiment on 2/3/1907. After initial training he was posted to the 1st Battalion followed by the 2nd in February 1908 serving in South Africa with them and the 1st Battalion until March 1910. On returning to England, he was deployed to Egypt from September 1910 – March 1914 and transferred to the Army Reserve in March 1914.

Mobilised on 6/8/1914 and posted to the 2nd Battalion he landed in France on 12/8/1914.

The battalion saw heavy fighting during the opening months of the war however they were destroyed during the Defence of Gheluvelt on 31/10/1914 stopping the German thrust to Ypres.

The battalion went into action with some 12 Officers and 600 men and by the next day the survivors consisted of 3 officers and 50 men. Hughes was taken prisoner on the day and spent the remainder of the war in a German POW camp.

On being released he was transferred to the Army Reserve on 23/3/1919 he enlisted into the Labour Corps on 4/5/19 serving until 28/11/1919.

He died in 1973.