Orders, Decorations and Medals

Eight: Master Aircrewman E. F. Hughes, Royal Air Force

1939-45 Star; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals; General Service 1918-62, 2 clasps, Palestine 1945-48, Malaya (W.O. (1320703), R.A.F.); Korea 1950-53 (1320703 F./Sgt., R.A.F.); U.N. Korea; R.A.F. L.S. & G.C., E.II.R. (M. Sig. (1320703), R.A.F.), mounted as worn, together with a set of related miniature dress medals and his wife’s 1939-45 Defence & War Medals, in their card forwarding box, generally good very fine and rare (18) £400-500

Ernest Frank Hughes was born in Croydon in January 1923 and enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in June 1941. Having then witnessed active service in Burma, and been demobbed in June 1946, he joined the strength of Royal Air Force as an A.C. 2 (Signaller) in March 1947. Advanced to Flight Sergeant in the following year, he served in Palestine and Malaya, in addition to the Korea operations as a member of crew in Sunderlands of the Far East Flying Boat Wing (88, 205 and 209 Squadrons). Appointed a Master Aircrewman in January 1957, and awarded his L.S. & G.C. Medal in October 1959,

Hughes was finally discharged in January 1969; sold with a copy of his service record - which confirms all of the above listed Medals and clasps, including a late claim for his G.S.M. for “Palestine 1945-48” & “Malaya” in January 1960, together with a crew photograph and a Korean War veteran newsletter, with front page feature on the Far East Flying Boat Wing. The vendor states that Master Crewman E. F. Hughes was in the air when the first atom bomb went off on Christmas Island.

Mrs. Ethel Francis Hughes (nee Dixon), who married in June 1946, served in the W.A.A.F. in the 1939-45 War, but did not claim her Defence & War Medals until many years later.