Corps of Military Police

Cap Badge of the Corps of Military Police (King George VI)
Soldier Details:
Surname: Hughes
Initials:   W.J.
Rank:   Private
Army No.:  3649696
Notes:   CMP. He was born in Glamorgan and resided in Newport and formerly served in the South Lancashire Regiment. Inscription on gravestone: Not today but every day in silence we remember. War Diary WO 166/13669, 67 TC Coy. 14/1/43 00.30 hrs Pte Hughes W involved in a motor cycle accident and killed. 17/1/43 Sgt Rawey proceeded to South Wales in charge of the remains of Pte. Hughes. Casualty List 1055, Home, Accidentally Killed, 14/1/1943. William James Hughes. Extract from the Merthyr Express 23/1/1943. Burial of Dowlais Soldier. LATE PTE. Wm HUGHES. The funeral of Pte Wm Hughes of high Street, Dowlais (a report of whose death will be found on the front page) took place on Tuesday at Pant Cemetery, and large crowds of sympathisers lined the route fro his residence. The family of Private Hughes is well known in the town, his great grandfather being the late Mr William James who carried on a flourishing grocery trade in Union Street during the last century and the beginning of this. At the house and graveside the service was conducted by Adjutant March and Songster Leader Hemmings of the Salvation Army. The coffin was covered with the Union Jack and a company of the Dowlais Home Guard under Sergt. J Clark was in attendance, Representing the 67th Company, Corps of Military Police, Leicester was Sergt. Kenneth Rowe. A poignant feature of the tragedy was that the deceased soldier buried his wife 18 months ago and two young boys aged seven and five are now left orphans with their grandmother Mrs Mary Ann Hughes. Letters of sympathy have been received from his commanding officer and from the Quartermaster Sergeant testifying to the great grief of the Company at the untimely death of an excellent soldier and comrade who was always on duty. (There follows a list of mourners and floral tributes.)

Casualty Details:
Date Killed: 14th January 1943
Company: 67 TC COY
Cemetery: MERTHYR TYDFIL (PANT) CEMETERY   UNITED KINGDOM
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