William Rees Hughes, Royal Welsh Fusiliers

The Battalion was formed in March 1915 by the Welsh National Executive Committee as a Bantam Battalion and was with the 38th (Welsh) Division at Deganwy until August 1915. The Battalion transferred to the 119th Brigade, 40th Division in September 1915 and landed in France in early June 1916. 

Private Hughes was born at Holyhead on the 19 October 1896. He  joined the LNWR on 17 June 1913 as a Deck Boy but was discharged on 10 September 1914. He then enlisted (A6608) into the Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) on 31 October 1914 and served as part of the Orkney detachment of Admiralty Trawlers -  HMHT Arley and HMHT Peterborough. He was discharged from the RNR on 1 June 1916 as being unfit. 

He then enlisted in the 19th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers on 9 June 1916. He arrived in France on 25 September 1916.  He received a gunshot wound to his right arm on 21 April 1917. During this time the Division was involved in the capture of Fifteen Ravine, Villers Plouich, Beaucamp and La Vacquerie (April and early May 1917). He received a further gunshot wound to his chest on 23 November 1917 when the Division participated in the Cambrai Operations, in which the Battalion took part in the capture of Bourlon Wood (November 1917). 

He was on home leave from 27 March to 5 April 1918. He was then posted to the Depot Battalion on 12 April 1918 and then to the 4th (Reserve) Battalion on 26 May 1918. He was admitted to Kinmel Park Military Hospital on 27 June 1918 and died 4 days later.

He was the son of William and Margaret Hughes of 6 Lower Park Street, Holyhead. In 1901 he lived with his parents, older brother and younger sister at 4 Park Street, Holyhead. His father was born at Portdinorwic, Caernarvonshire and was employed as a Ships Carpenter. In 1911 William was a border, aged 14, at the Clio Training Ship, Menai Straits, Bangor.

He was awarded the Victory Medal and British War Medal.

Buried in Holyhead (Maeshyfryd) Burial Board Cemetery. Grave location 2.1433. He is also commemorated on a memorial plaque at Y Tabernacl Chapel, Thomas Street, Holyhead.