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I am researching the men of WW2 for our local History Society and I am really stuck with this one. The name on the Biggleswade War Memorial is J Hughes, and the only information on CWGC is Private. I have tried very hard to find him using newspaper and the usual sitesand the only thing I can find is 3 articles,they are:

19th Jan 1945 it reads. Home from India - CPL P J Hughes, husband of Mrs Pat Hughes of 33,The Baulk,Biggleswade has recieved news that her husband has arrived home from India owing to ill health. He has been serving with the R.A.F since September 28th 1940,and has been overseas since July 1943.

31st December 1943 reads. St Andrews Hospital During the afternoon Father Christmas played by Mr J Hughes a member of the staff now serving with the RAF visited the nursery and distributed toys.

7th May 1943 it reads It is intimated that 2nd Lieutenant J P Hughes,Beds and Herts Regiment,who relinquished his commission last August did so through ill health.

I am not sure if any of these articles relate to our man but are the only thing I can find on Ancestry or Findmy Past about anyone with this name.

You probably need to view the electorall rolls for around wartime to see what other Hughes famillies were living locally.

That could be a help names I have already looked on 1939 with no luck as he is like a needle in a haystack

There weren’t any electoral rolls during ww.2 so that won’t help identify them

PJ Hughes???

Marriages Mar 1940 (>99%)
Deller Florence J Hughes Biggleswade 3b 1273
Hughes Patrick J Deller Biggleswade 3b 1273


Patrick Joseph Hughes
in the England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007
Name: Patrick Joseph Hughes
Death Age: 61
Birth Date: 27 Jun 1915
Registration Date: Jul 1976[Aug 1976] [Sep 1976]
Registration Quarter: Jul-Aug-Sep
Registration District: Biggleswade
Inferred County: Bedfordshire
Volume: 9
Page: 0227

I saw that one but seeing as I had a wife named Pat on the newspaper article and the fact he died in the war I dismissed him

I thought "Pat" would be Mrs Pat(rick) Hughes, and posted the records to eliminate PJ as your J Hughes on the memorial.

Oh of course I never thought of that,sorry :-)

If anyone has a sub to Fold3, here are the army records of JP Hughes, who's mentioned in the article dated 7 May 1943:

J. P. Hughes
in the UK, British Army Records and Lists, 1882-1962
Name: J. P. Hughes
Military Year: 1941
Regiment: The Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment
Rank: 2nd Lieutenant

I have not got that unfortunately

Shirley - that is why I said ‘around’. :-D

I have just been looking at 1939 again and found a Jack Hughes born 21/3/1921 at the Public Assistance Institution which was the Workhouse and became St Andrews Hospital and then The Limes. One of the newspaper cuttings says St Andrews Hospital so I assume that relates to him

Another clue in newspaper Jack Hughes who was the at the above came from Farnworth, Lancs so I will now try to find out his birth as I think this could well be my man as I cn find no others to fit.

??? Maybe, assuming he was born in Farnworth, and not just that he had lived there at some time:

Births Jun 1921
Hughes Jack Jubb Bolton 8c 639


Parents:

Marriages Sep 1919 (>99%)
Hughes John H Jubb Bolton 8c 995
Jubb Lucy R Hughes Bolton 8c 995



Jack is not with his parents in 1939:

Lucy R Hughes
in the 1939 England and Wales Register
Name: Lucy R Hughes
Gender: Female
Marital Status: Married
Birth Date: 24 Apr 1887
Residence Date: 1939
Address: 242
Residence Place: Farnworth, Lancashire, England
Occupation: Unpaid Domestic Duties
Line Number: 36
Schedule Number: 202
Sub Schedule Number: 2
Enumeration District: NUPL
Borough: Farnworth
Registration district: 461B-1
Inferred Spouse:
John H Hughes
Household Members Age
John H Hughes 50
Lucy R Hughes 52


??? If this is the same man, he's not the one on the Biggleswade memorial.

Jack Hughes
in the England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007
Name: Jack Hughes
Death Age: 61
Birth Date: 21 Mar 1921
Registration Date: Apr 1982[May 1982] [Jun 1982]
Registration Quarter: Apr-May-Jun
Registration District: Cambridge
Inferred County: Cambridgeshire
Volume: 9
Page: 0551

The newspaper said his parents were in Farnworth and that the hospital was impressed that at 18 years old he travelled all the way to Biggleswade to apply for the position of porter. A few bits are starting to come together and match up.

Is the transcription wrong?
It says T Hughes in the transcription.

https://www.roll-of-honour.com/Bedfordshire/BiggleswadeRollofHonour.html

It's hard to tell from the photo if it's T or J:

https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/136577

You said "the only information on CWGC is Private".

I can't see him on the CWGC site.

The only J Hughes (with just the initial) was in the RAF Volunteer Reserve, and his parents lived in Londonderry.

I can't find any WW2 private named Hughes, with any first name.

Oh bother it is a T, I have just looked at a photo I took at the actual memorial and you are right. I have had a rotten day and misread my notes. Back to the drawing board

??? Long shot:

Thomas Hughes
in the UK, Army Roll of Honour, 1939-1945
Name: Thomas Hughes
Given Initials: T
Rank: Private <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Death Date: 5 Feb 1943
Number: 2615688
Birth Place: Durham (County)
Residence: Bedford <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Regiment at Enlistment: Grenadier Guards
Branch at Enlistment: Army Air Corps
Theatre of War: North Africa
Regiment at Death: Parachute Regiment (not otherwise specified)
Branch at Death: Army Air Corps




Private THOMAS HUGHES
Service Number: 2615688
Regiment & Unit/Ship
The Parachute Regiment, A.A.C.
1st Bn.
Date of Death
Died 05 February 1943
Age 23 years old
Buried or commemorated at
MEDJEZ-EL-BAB MEMORIAL
Face 36.
Tunisia

Hmm thanks that is possible, now to search for a Biggleswade link