G.D. Hughes
The story of Gordon Dallinger Hughes
Born in Kogarah NSW, Gordon Dallinger Hughes enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in July 1915. Upon enlistment he wrote his profession as an arc lamp trimmer, but his sister later described him as an electrician. 27 years-old and with a ruddy complexion he was assigned to the 20th battalion he left Australia in November 1915.
After spending time in the Middle East he went to France with his battalion seeing action around Pozieres. In July he was found to be outside of his billets after lights out and punished with 7 days of field punishment number 2.
In November, during attacks around Flers Hughes was killed in action. He was buried in the field and is remembered on the Villers-Bretonneux memorial.
Research notes:
1) Following his death there was a dispute between his sister (with whom he lived and who is listed as next of kin on his enlistment papers) and a woman with whom Hughes had had a child out of wedlock. The mother of the child (who had since remarried) hoped to obtain the medals for their child (aged 11) so that she could have them when she was older. It was subsequently proposed that his war medals and memorial plaque/scroll be split between the two parties.
