Sgt 16244 Henry Victor Hughes

• Age: 28
• From: Anfield, Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 1st July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

16244 L/Sgt. Henry Victor HUGHES, 18^th Battalion KLR.

Henry Victor was born on 08th July 1887 in Liverpool, Henry/Harry was the fifth of eight children born to John Lister Hughes and his wife Eleanor (nee Fey) and the youngest of their four sons. They were married on the 31st May 1876 at St Mary's Church, Birkenhead. Henry was baptised on the 28th August 1887 at Emmanuel, Everton. 

His father was a freemason having joined Combermere Lodge, Egremont in 1873. 

In 1891 the family lived at 175 Breck Road, Everton. His father, John, is aged 48, a pawnbroker, born Liverpool, mother Eleanor is aged 38, born Liverpool, son Richard E. 13 a scholar b.Tranmere, other children born Liverpool, Louisa M. 12 a scholar, John H. 10 a scholar, Eleanor L. 8 a scholar, Hartley G. 6 a scholar, Henry V. aged 3, and Edith H. 1. They also have a servant Hannah Aldam 18, and visitor Mary Milbourn 71.  

By 1901 the family were living at 306 New Chester Road, Port Sunlight. Henry is 13 years of age and at school. His father John is aged 58, born in Liverpool and employed as a loft attendant at a soap works, whilst his mother is 48 years of age and was born in Liverpool. Harry has seven siblings living in the household, they are listed as; Richard aged 23 is a commercial clerk,  Louisa aged 22, John aged 20 and a bookbinder, Eleanor aged 18, Hartley aged 16 and a school teacher, Edith aged 11 and Olive aged 7. 

His father died suddenly on 05th June 1906, aged 62 and was buried at Bebington Cemetery. .

In 1911, the Census finds Eleanor, now described a widow, lives at 278 New Chester Road,with her six younger children all of whom, excluding Hartley Gordon (a schoolmaster) are employed in the soap manufacturing industry (Lever Brothers). Harry is 23 and a commercial clerk with Lever Brothers. His siblings are listed as; John Fey 30, Eleanor Lister 28, Hartley Gordon 30, Edith Harrington 21, Olive Jessie aged 30.  

Harry was educated at Bebington and at Birkenhead Institute.

He was also a keen member of Port Sunlight Church Boys Brigade.

He enlisted at Liverpool on 2^nd September 1914, joining the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 16244. He was aged 27 years 57 days, and gave his occupation as a clerk with Lever Brothers. He also stated that he had served with the Church Parade Brigade, Ellesmere Port. He is described as being 6' 2" tall, weight 158lbs, with a fresh complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. His religion is stated as Church of England. 

From the 23^rd September 1914 he was billeted at Hooton Park Race Course and remained there until 03^rd December 1914 when they moved into the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 07^th October 1914 he was appointed paid Lance Corporal; on 24^th October 1914 promoted to Corporal; on 27^th March 1915 to Unpaid Lance Sergeant; and on 10^th April 1915 to Paid Lance Sergeant. On 30th April 1915 the 18th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. 

He sailed to France with his Battalion on 07th November 1915 on board the SS Invicta. On the 24^th March 1916 he was admitted to 97 Field Ambulance with a sprained ankle, rejoining his unit on 22^nd April. His service record suggests he was promoted to Sergeant on 10^th June 1916, it shows that at the time of his death his rank was Lance Sergeant.

He was killed in action during the attack at Montauban on 1^st July 1916. 

18^th Battalion Diary

At 6.30am the artillery commenced an intensive bombardment of the enemy’s trenches. Zero Hour – 7.30 am – the battalion commenced to leave their trenches and the attack commenced. The attack was pressed with great spirit and determination in spite of heavy shelling and machine gun enfilade fire which caused casualties amounting to 2/3rds of the strength of the Battalion in action. The whole system of German trenches including the Glatz Redoubt was captured without any deviation from the scheduled programme. Consolidated positions and made strong points for defence against possible counter attacks.

Graham Maddocks provides more detail concerning the events of the day:

As the first three waves began to move forward towards the German reserve line, known as Alt Trench and then on to the Glatz Redoubt itself, they suddenly came under enfilading fire from the left. This was from a machine gun which the Germans had sited at a strong point in Alt Trench. The gun itself was protected by a party of snipers and bombers, who, hidden in a rough hedge, were dug into a position in Alt Trench, at its junction with a communication trench known as Alt Alley. These bombers and snipers were themselves protected by rifle fire from another communication trench, Train Alley which snaked back up the high ground and into Montauban itself. The machine gun fire was devastating and it is certain that nearly of the Battalion’s casualties that day were caused by that one gun.  

Lieutenant Colonel Edward Henry Trotter  wrote in the conclusion of his account of the days action:

I cannot speak to highly of the gallantry of the Officers and men. The men amply repaid the care and kindness of their Company Officers, who have always tried to lead and not to drive. As laid down in my first lecture to the Battalion when formed, in the words of Prince Kraft:

“Men follow their Officers not from fear, but from love of the Regiment where everything had always and at all times gone well with them”.    

Joe Devereux in his book A Singular Day on the Somme gives the Casualty Breakdown for the 18^th Battalion as Killed in Action 7 Officers and 165 men and of those who died in consequence of the wounds 3 Officers and 19 men a total of 194 out of a total loss for the four Liverpool Pals Battalions of 257.

Harry's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Misisng of the Somme. 

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

De Ruvigny’s Roll of Honour adds that an officer wrote saying:

“Sergeant Hughes was killed instantaneously in action. He was leading his platoon in the big attack when he was struck down by a bullet and killed. He had previously been promoted to Sergeant for his good service, for he was one of those men who did his duty all the better the more danger there was. Both the officers and men of the Company had the greatest regard for him and I would like to express to you our great admiration of his character and our deep sympathy for yourself”.

Soldiers Effects to mother Eleanor, Pension record has no award. 

He is commemorated on the family headstone:

ALSO HENRY VICTOR THE FOURTH
AND YOUNGEST SON OF THE ABOVE
SERGEANT IN THE 18TH K.L.R (THE PALS)
WHO DIED WITH HIS PLATOON AT MONTAUBAN 
JULY 1ST 1916 IN HIS 28TH YEAR 

He is also remembered on the following memorials:

Birkenhead Institute

Lever Brothers War Memorial, The Causeway, Port Sunlight

St Andrew’s Church, Lower Bebington, Wirral

Lower Bebington Methodist Church, Bromborough Road, Wirral.

Henry’s medals and effects were received by his widowed mother. 

Co-incidentally a Private Harry Hughes with the number 16245 joined on the same day as Henry Victor and died on 02^nd October 1916.