Corporal Richard Hughes was awarded the Military Medal in recognition of gallant and distinguished service in Sicily during which he was captured. Post war member of the Commando Association.

At Agnone in Sicily on 13th July 1943, Cpl Hughes showed great courage and determination in the face of vastly superior enemy opposition. During the Commando withdrawal from the bridgehead, his section was chosen to carry our a rear-guard action to enable the Commando to extricate itself.
Casualties had already depleted the section and Cpl Hughes therefore took over the LMG firing it repeatedly with such good effect that the enemy were unable to close. At last, the enemy succeeded in working round the section's flanks and the Sgt commanding the section gave the order to charge the nearest position in an attempt to disorganise the enemy.
Cpl Hughes advanced with the section until it was pinned down by fire from three machine-gun positions. These he engaged one by one with his bren gun and fired so coolly and accurately that he neutralised all three enemy machine-gun positions in turn killing or wounding all of the enemy teams who stayed by their guns. Cpl Hughes continued to fire his gun until all ammunition had been expended, when he was taken prisoner with the remaining survivors of the section.

This NCO's skill and cool courage in the face of overwhelming odds was an inspiration to all who saw him and his accurate fire held up the enemy and inflicted heavy casualties.