HUGHES Thomas

Thomas Hughes enlisted in the Worcestershire Regiment on 26th October 1914 at Worcester.  On his attestation paper he gave his place of birth as Walsall, Staffordshire, his age as 38 years and his occupation as a labourer.  His records show Miss M. McDermott, 7 Dolday, Worcester as his next of kin.  Thomas was mobilised on 26th October 1914 and posted overseas on 11th December 1914.  He was taken to a Field Ambulance on 28th March 1916 and discharged to duty on 30th March 1916; no further information is given in his records as to why he was treated at the field ambulance.  Thomas was wounded in action between the 6th – 10th July 1916; he died of his wounds on 27th July 1916.  According to his records, Thomas was unmarried but a Mrs Margaret Swain of Gloucester (later Mrs McDermott of Cheltenham) made a claim that Thomas had no living relatives and that she was his ‘unmarried wife’ and the mother of his 3 children, Rose, Thomas and Margaret.