HUGHES Edward James

Edward Hughes enlisted as Private, 9035 for three years service on 14th August 1914 at Worcester.  On his attestation paper he gave his age as 36 years 140 days, his place of birth as Flint, Flintshire and his occupation as a builders labourer.  He had previous military experience, serving in the South African War. Edward was 5 feet 9½ inches tall with a ruddy complexion, brown eyes and brown hair.  He was posted to France on 20th September 1914, wounded in action with a gunshot wound to his right leg on 29th Octo9ber 1914 and sent to a hospital in Oxfordshire, England on 3rd November 1914. After recovering from his wounds he was posted back to France on 12th January 1915. Edward was posted missing on 14th March 1915, this was later amended to killed in action at Neuve Chapelle between 10th and 13th March 1915.  His war service medals were claimed by Ethel Kate Mayers, 17 Nash’s Passage, New Street, Worcester, who was engaged to be married to him.

Additional information from Pershore Parish Records, Holy Cross, Film No 216/7, available at Worcestershire Archives:
Private.  Came as operator to Cinematograph Show.  Worked for W.H. Knight.  Killed very early in war.

A photograph of Private E.J. Hughes of Pershore can be found in Berrow’s Worcester Journal Supplement, Saturday 1st May 1915, available at Worcestershire Archives.