L/ Sjt Charles Richard Hughes, No3 Cdo - KIA on The Vaagso Raid

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 07/01/2011 01:09:11

hi i am trying to find out some infomation about my mother- inlaws father who died in the vaagso raid his name was lance serjeant charles richard hughes service no 6010576, Born 5-9-1915 I have found his name on the Brookood memorial and also his name is on the memorial at maloy he was in the Bedfordshire and Hartfordshire Regiment and was 26 when he died and my mother-inlaw was 2 years old so she never new her father so i would be very greatful if any one could help me
regards mark

hi Mark,
Welcome to the CVA.
Here, for a start is the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) record for L/Sgt C R Hughes

http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2146655

Nick

thanks for that nick i plan on taking my mother-inlaw to the brookwood memorial to pay are respects.
regards mark

Mark,
Looking at the CWGC record you'll notice it does not have L/Sgt Hughes' listed as a Commando - this would normally be noted as:

Secondary Regiment: Commando
Secondary Unit Text: and No. 3

This does not mean that L/Sgt Hughes was not a commando but that the CWGC may not have got his records right.
This, sadly, has been the case on many other commandos, but given enough evidence the CWGC will amend their records accordingly (a number of CVA members including the late Bob Bishop and me have had success in getting the commandos their rightful recognition in the records).

I'm afraid this case isn't helped by the fact that The Westminster Abbey Commando Roll of Honour has him listed as G Hughes:

Hughes, G. L/Sgt, Beds & Herts (inc.Hertfordshire Regiment), 3 Cdo, killed in action, 27-Dec-41, Vaagso.
This was probably a typing - again there are quite a few errors in this Roll of Honour.

Do you have any documentary evidence that he was in the Commandos that would prove to the CWGC that he was a commando? His Service Records would help - your Mother-in-Law can apply to the MoD for these:

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/FreedomOfInformation/FOIContact/RequestsForAccessToPersonalDataHeldByTheMinistryOfDefence.htm

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/CorporatePublications/PersonnelPublications/ServiceRecords/RequestFormsForServicePersonnelDetailsNextOfKinForm.htm

Please don't hesitate to let us know if you have any queries or if we can help in any way.

Nick

Mark,

Here's a link to a film of the Vaagso Raid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmCley7luTM&feature=related

Nick

This message was edited 4 times. Last update was at 07/01/2011 01:38:51

The book Commando - Memoirs of a Fighting Commando in World War 2 by Brigadier John Durnford-Slater lists a No.3 Commando Roll of Honour. For the Vaagso Raid on p.223 it shows amongst others from No.3 Commando:

L/Sgt. 6010576 Charles Richard Hughes kia 27/12/41.

So from what the book says he was in No.3 Commando attached from the Beds and Herts.

The prelude to the Roll of Honour states the following

" The Roll of Honour was compiled by David Buxtton using the War Diaries of No.3 Commando, official reports from Combined Operations, , the Commonwealth War Graves Commission registers, and an undated Commando Association Roll. This source material is held at the Public Record Office, Kew Surrey and is available for public scrutiny. He had noted that in a number of cases the CWGC record does not show a 3 Commando connection; this has now been rectified and the results passed to the CWGC.

In order to officially rectify this I would, as Nick suggests, apply for his service record which should show the Commando connection. This can take many months at the present time to come through after application. I would then send a copy of it to the CWGC and ask them to amend their online records. You could try contacting them direct to see if their records show them being informed back in 1958. Please also contact me when you receive it so we can update our records.

Regards

Pete Rogers

Mark,

Also you state that you've found his name on both the Brookwood and Maaloy Memorials?

Do either or both of these show that he was in No3 Commando? If so a photo of the memorial(s) showing the record(s), and the listing from the book that Pete mentioned (if quoting from a book then you'd need the page number etc) will certainly be acceptable to the CWGC - I have the contact name and address if you want it.

Nick

Actually Mark I have now found precise detail of where I believe L/Sgt Hughes was killed. I can confirm he was in No.3 Commando. He was in 2 troop No.3 Commando. The scene and a sketch of the area at Vaagso where he fell is described by Brigadier Peter Young DSO MC ** in his book Storm from the Sea on pages 46, 47, and 48. He was in the same troop as Lt Denis O'Flaherty who was also severley wounded just after Sgt Hughes had been shot.

I will message Geoff to update our records. Should you have any photos of L/Sgt Hughes please post them here on this forum message
and I will update our gallery with them

Regards

Pete

Nick & Pete
thanks for the help you have both given me so far i will apply for his service records and ask my mother-inlaw for any pictures she might have.
Would you know how i could find out were he was buried
regards
mark

mark ruddock wrote:Nick & Pete
Would you know how i could find out were he was buried
regards
mark

Mark,
The Brookwood Memorial commemorates 3500 men and women of the forces of the British Commonwealth "to whom the fortunes of war denied a known and honoured grave."

One account I read of Operation Archery suggests that the fallen had to be left for the Germans/Norwegians to bury.
It also suggested that some Norwegian families, whose sons had left Vaagso with the Commandos, fearful of German reprisals, claimed some of the British bodies to be their sons.
As far as I know there are five unmarked graves at Vaagso.

Nick

Pete wrote: He was in 2 troop No.3 Commando. The scene and a sketch of the area at Vaagso where he fell is described by Brigadier Peter Young DSO MC ** in his book Storm from the Sea on pages 46, 47, and 48. He was in the same troop as Lt Denis O'Flaherty who was also severley wounded just after Sgt Hughes had been shot.

Pete

Mark,
I have a paperback copy of the 'Storm from the Sea' by Peter Young and it would appear that the account differs slightly to that in Pete's edition. Also, in my edition, the action involving Lt Denis O'Flaherty appears on different pages too.

Nick

Andy Miles posted the Graveyard records in a forum message I have found which can be seen here. There is a transcript he has written at the bottom for clarity:

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoForum/posts/list/1361.page

pm sent to mark

Photo of Lance Sergeant Hughes courtesy of Mark Ruddock now entered in the CVA No.3 Commando In Remembrance album :

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/3/3+cdo+fallen/Lance+Sergeant+Hughes.jpg.html

HI
Pete /Nick

I have just got L/Sgt Hughes,s service and pay book from my mother-inlaw and on it are two commando stamps, they are very faint but if blown up you can make them out, would this help with his commando connection to the cwgc. I have scaned it and will send it to pete to have a look at
regards
mark

p.s I have got four other pictures one a group photo and three building alog cabin which i can send if you like.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 16/01/2011 17:21:57

Hi Mark

If you send the other photos I'll have a look at them along with the pay book. However if you have got the contact number for the CWGC that Nick offered you should give them a call and see what they say. As the Beds and Herts Regt did not go to Vaagso, and he is mentioned by name in both books as being in No.3 Cdo at Vaagso, and on the Westminster Abbey Commando Roll of Honour albeit with an initial G instead of C, I think you have ample but call them and see.

Pete