Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Second World War and Korean War campaign group of seven awarded to Private R. W. Hughes, 1st Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment, late Wiltshire Regiment, who was killed in action at the Battle of Imjin on 25 April 1951

1939-45 Star; Italy Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Korea 1950-53 (5570070 Pte. R. W. Hughes, Glosters.), rank and initials officially corrected; U.N. Korea, in its named card box of issue, together with Army Council condolence slip in the name of ‘5570070 Pte. R. W. Hughes, Glosters’, nearly extremely fine (7) £2800-3200

Robert William Hughes was born in Birmingham in May 1920 and enlisted in the Wiltshire Regiment in August 1938. A member of the 2nd Battalion, he saw action with the B.E.F. in France in May 1940, in addition to the Madagascar operations of 1942

Next embarked for the Middle East in June 1943, he was wounded in action in Italy on 3 June 1944 and treated at 158 Field Ambulance, prior to being evacuated to a General Hospital. Rejoining his battalion in late 1944, he saw further action in North-West Europe from March 1945 and was discharged as a Lance-Corporal to the Royal Army Reserve in July 1946.

Recalled to the Colours in August 1950, he joined the 1st Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment and was embarked for Korea, where, as cited above, he was killed in action at the battle of Imjin on 25 April 1951.

A member of ‘D’ Company, under Captain Harvey, he was likely among the 81 men who tried to reach the U.N. rearguard on the morning of the 25th. For the first three miles of their journey they managed to avoid contact with the enemy but on reaching a junction of two rivers just north of Taechon village, they came under very heavy machine-gun and rifle fire, several casualties being incurred as they crossed one of the rivers. Moreover, those in the rear of ‘D’ Company’s column found themselves engaged in hand to hand combat. Here, then, the point at which Hughes likely fell in action.

At length, on reaching a Commonwealth tank unit, the Company came under friendly fire and sustained further casualties. Of Captain Harvey’s original party of 81 men, 41 reached safety, 16 of whom were wounded. At least ten men were killed in the fighting at Taechon village and the remaining 30 were captured; sold with copied service records.