Heslop’s Local Advertiser 20/7/1917
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
John James Hughes was born in 1894 at Jarrow, County Durham, one of 5 children, 3 sons and 2 daughters, all of whom survived. His father Robert Hughes was born 1869 at Mold, Flintshire, Wales and moved with his parents to the north east in about 1878. He was married in 1889, district of South Shields to Mary Hughes born 1871 at Ryhope, County Durham. Working as a grocer’s assistant in 1901 they were living at Swinburne Street, Heworth, near Gateshead with five children all under the age of 12. By 1911 they had moved to 32, Princess Street, Pelaw still employed as a grocer’s assistant whilst his son James worked as a butcher, John James, now aged 17 years, a cart wright and his two daughters were scholars, son Robert had married and left home.
Enlisted in 1914 firstly as Sapper 2056 2nd Northumbrian (Newcastle) Royal Engineers, he was drafted to France July 4th 1915 and transferred as Sapper 457530 to the newly renamed 449th (2nd Northumbrian) Field Coy Royal Engineers, attached to the 28th Division which he joined in the field participating at the 2nd Battle of Ypres and Loos. The Division was ordered October 19th 1915 to prepare to sail from Marseilles for Alexandria, Egypt, October 24th. They landed November 22nd, all units were disembarked by January 1916 and made ready for service in Salonika (Greece). Sapper Hughes’s military record no longer exists, destroyed during the blitz of WW2, it is known however that during 1916 the 28th Division occupied Mazirko and captured Barakli Jum’a also in May 1917 Ferdie and Essex trenches in the Barakli Jum’a sector. Sapper Hughes was wounded, exact date unknown and taken by Field Ambulance to the 32nd Casualty Clearing Station.
Sapper 457530 John James Hughes Royal Engineers died of wounds sustained in the line of duty, June 23rd 1917. His body was temporarily buried on the battlefield at the front-line cemetery established by the Field Ambulance. After Armistice, his body was exhumed and brought into Struma Military Cemetery, on the Kalokastro/Nigrita Road, Greece and reburied with all honour and reverence, grave III. D. 6. Due to the nature of the soil all tombstones in the cemetery are laid flat. At the time of his demise Sapper Hughes was 25 years old and single.
His father as beneficiary received all monies due to him and his awards of the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to him at 32, Princess Street, Prelaw-On-Tyne, County Durham.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Heslop’s Local Advertiser 20/7/1917 carries a notice which reads:
“Sapper John James Hughes, died of wounds, June 23rd, aged 23 years. Youngest son of Robert and Mary Hughes, Pelaw.”
John James Hughes is remembered at Heworth on H92.03
