Richard George Hughes, Third Engineer

Richard George Hughes. Third Engineer, Mercantile Marine, RMS Leinster. Lost at sea, aged 36, as a result of enemy action in the Irish Sea on 10 October 1918. Richard was born at Holyhead and was the son of Sarah Elizabeth Hughes and the late Robert Hughes, a Railway Goods Foreman. In 1891 he lived with his family at 4 Tower Gardens, Holyhead and in 1911 at 25 Cambria Street, Holyhead. He was the husband of Laura Hughes (nee Jones) of "East Lynne", Rhos-y-Gaer Avenue, Holyhead. They married at Holyhead in 1911. They had two sons, Norman S Hughes (b. Liverpool, 1912) and Leonard S Hughes (b. Holyhead,1915). In his will he left £277.8s.2d to his wife, Laura. The Census of 1911 records him at Kingstown Harbour as Second Engineer of the CoDSPCo ship RMS Connaught. It is believed that he would not normally have sailed with the Leinster that day. He had changed shift with a friend as a favour. He was awarded the Merchantile Marine Medal and British War Medal. These are on display at the Holyhead Maritime Museum. He is commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial. He is remembered on a family grave at Holyhead (Maeshyfryd) Burial Board Cemetery.