Joseph Hughes, GC (1 September 1926 – 21 March 1946) was a British soldier and a recipient of the

George Cross The George Cross (GC) is the highest award bestowed by the British government for non-operational gallantry or gallantry not in the presence of an enemy. In the British honours system, the George Cross, since its introduction in 1940, has been ...

, awarded for the gallantry he displayed on 21 March 1946 in Lyemun Barracks in

Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...

. Notice of his award appeared in the ''

London Gazette London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

'' of 26 June 1947.

Military career

The 19-year-old Hughes was driving a 3-ton truck full of cleared ammunition and explosives into the magazine area when it caught fire. Knowing it could explode at any moment, he tried to remove the burning camouflage netting and, when that failed, tackled the developing blaze with fire extinguishers. Despite his efforts the lorry exploded and Hughes died two days later of his wounds. A plaque containing a replica of his medal and summary of his action hangs in the St. Francis Centre in the Gorbals in

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

, where Hughes was born. Joseph Hughes grave in the Hong Kong Cemetery

References

External links

CWGC: Joseph Hughes
1926 births 1946 deaths People from Gorbals Royal Army Service Corps soldiers British recipients of the George Cross British Army personnel of World War II Accidental deaths in Hong Kong {{UK-army-bio-stub