Description
Queen’s South Africa, 3 bars, Cape Colony, SA 1901, SA 1902, WW1 British War & Victory Medal Pair, 5255 Sapper Edward Hughes, Royal Engineers, in both wars. From Heswall, Chester, Cheshire.
QSA Officially impressed: “5255 Sapper E. Hughes., Rl: Engrs”
WW1 Pair officially impressed: “107569 Spr. E. Hughes. R.E.”
QSA confirmed on the medal roll of the 46th Company Royal Engineers.
He has 2 roll entries, one for the medal and Transvaal Clasp, written during 1901, and the further one from 1903 which issued the dated pair.
Edward Hughes, born in Heswall, Chester, technically now on the Wirral Peninsula in Merseyside, circa 1877.
He was baptised as Edward Peter Hughes, in the Heswall Hill Wesleyan Methodist Chapel.
Son of William and Sophia, of Heswall.
Aged 22, working as a Bricklayer, he signed up with the Royal Engineers at Chester on 27th March 1900, in the middle of the Boer War.
He saw the following postings:
Home, 27th March 1900 – 4th March 1901
South Africa, 5th March 1901 – 8th Feb 1906
Home, 9th Feb 1906 – 26th March 1912.
Discharged after his 12 years terms of engagement on 26th March 1912.
Apart from his time in the Army, he spent most of his life in Heswall, returning to becoming a Bricklayer after the army.
Naturally he re-enlisted for further service during World War 1.
Working as Bricklayer once again in Heswall, he signed on for war service at Birkenhead on 24th November 1915 aged 38.
He joined his unit in France about 23rd July 1916. For his services, being discharged after the war in 1919, he earned this Pair of medals.
He died in the Wirral during 1935.
