English Māori John Gethin Hughes Born 13 March 1866 - Died 23 July 1954 PDF Key details Service numberSouth African 148 AWMM WWI 15/2 AWMM Also known asJackie Hughes AWMM Armed force / branchArmy AWMM Last rankWW1 Colonel/Military AWMM Canterbury Infantry Battalion AWMM WarSouth African War, 1899-1902 AWMM World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM Enquire Lay a poppy Portrait of Lieutenant Colonel John Gethin Hughes, Archives New Zealand, AALZ 25044 5 / F2101 9. Ima … View gallery Hide sources Show empty fields Identity About Contribute › Title ForenamesJohn Gethin AWMM SurnameHughes AWMM Ingoa Also known asJackie Hughes AWMM Service numberSouth African 148 AWMM WWI 15/2 AWMM GenderMale AWMM Iwi Hapū Waka Rohe ReligionChurch of England, Christian AWMM Images and documents Images Contribute › Documents Contribute › Civilian life About birth Contribute › Birth13 March 1866 AWMM Bluff, Southland AWMM Date of birth Place of birth Birth notes Address before enlistmentUnknown AWMM Wellington, New Zealand AWMM Post war occupation Next of kin on embarkationMargaret Ann Hughes, Dannevirke, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand AWMM Mrs Marion Hughes (wife), care of W. Martin, Huangarua, Martinborough, New Zealand AWMM Relationship statusPre 21 October 1899 AWMM Married AWMM Service Wars and conflicts Contribute › WarSouth African War, 1899-1902 AWMM World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM Campaign Armed force / branchArmy AWMM Service numberSouth African 148 AWMM WWI 15/2 AWMM Military serviceServed with C Battery, Timaru, 1884-1887. AWMM Battery commander with F Battery, Napier, 1891. AWMM Made adjutant and captain of the 3rd Battalion Wellington (East Coast) Rifle Volunteers, 1898. AWMM 10th Contingent AWMM NZEF Headquarters AWMM Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers Military decorations Contribute › Medals and AwardsCompanion of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) AWMM CMG: In recognition for his services at Gallipoli. (DNZB) AWMM Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) AWMM DSO: London Gazette, 10 April 1901. Citation: "In recognition of services during the operations in South Africa." AWMM Queen's South Africa Medal (Relief of Kimberley, Driefontein, Johannesberg, Diamond Hill, South Africa 1902 clasps) AWMM 1914-1915 Star AWMM British War Medal (1914-1920) AWMM Victory Medal with oak leaf AWMM Colonial Auxiliary Forces Decoration AWMM New Zealand Long and Efficient Service Medal AWMM Mentioned in Despatches (MiD) Twice AWMM MiD South Africa; MiD WW1 AWMM Training and Enlistment Contribute › Military training Branch Trade Proficiency EnlistmentSouth Africa Law Clerk/Civilian AWMM Wellington, New Zealand AWMM WW1 Volunteer soldier AWMM Occupation before enlistment Age on enlistment Embarkations Contribute › Embarkation detailsSouth Africa Vessel was Waiwera AWMM Private AWMM 2 Company, 1st Contingent, NZ Mounted Rifles AWMM 2nd Reinforcements AWMM WW1 16 Oct 1914-3 December 1914 AWMM from Wellington, New Zealand AWMM to Suez, Egypt AWMM HMNZT 3 AWMM Vessel was Maunganui AWMM Headquarters AWMM 2nd Embarkation AWMM Prisoner of war Contribute › Capture details Days interned Liberation date Liberation Repatriation POW liberation details POW serial number Medical history Contribute › Medical notesHospital Diseases , Wounds, WWI AWMM Admitted to hospital with paratyphoid, iritis and dysentery, October 1915. AWMM Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWI AWMM Invalided back to NZ, July 1916. AWMM Last known rank Contribute › Last rankWW1 31 December 1916 AWMM Colonel/Military AWMM Canterbury Infantry Battalion AWMM Biographical information Biographical information Contribute › John Hughes was the son of mariner John Gethin Hughes and Mary Agnes McLean.Attended school in Akaroa and Timaru.Represented Hawke's Bay in rugby."During a farewell speech to his fellow Napier volunteers, Hughes stated 'he would rather be a trooper fighting for his country than the richest landholder in Hawke's Bay.'" (DNZB)Became first New Zealander to be commissioned in the field, December 1899. He was commissioned as a Lieutenant."On 15 January 1900 he distinguished himself during a counter-attack against Boers who were trying to seize a hill (later known as New Zealand Hill) overlooking the British camp at Slingersfontein. For his gallantry during this hard-fought action Hughes became the first New Zealand serviceman to be appointed a DSO. He was one of the contingent's outstanding officers, and was mentioned in dispatches before his unit returned to New Zealand in January 1901." (DNZB)Appointed assistant staff officer to the commandant and commissioned a Captain with the NZ Militia, 1901.Briefly returned to South Africa in 1902 with the 10th Contingent."Prior to the First World War Hughes held various staff positions in the New Zealand forces. He felt, probably with some justification, that he was the victim of unfair treatment by Richard Seddon, the minister of defence; it was not until January 1907, after Seddon's death, that he was belatedly promoted to major." (DNZB)Married Marion (Maisie) De Vere O'Connor in Wellington, 8 May 1909. They had two sons and a daughter.Enlisted with NZEF, 5 August 1914, and served as Assistant Military Secretary to GOC (General Officer Commanding), Major General Sir Alexander Godley.CO (Commanding Officer) of Canterbury Infantry Battalion, Gallipoli, 7 June - 10 October 1915. On 7 August 1915, Canterbury Battalion took heavy casualties when Hughes unwittingly chose to reform his men in an area dominated by a newly emplaced Turkish battery. (DNZB)Promoted Lieutenant Colonel, 24 September 1915.Posted to retired list and made an Honorary Colonel, 1917.Heavily involved with the First New Zealand Mounted Rifles Association until his death.The Auckland Museum Library's manuscripts collection (MS 2005/4) holds a letter (1 leaf) written by Hughes to Mrs [?Daisy] Tucker, dated 15 December 1919, thanking her for sending a copy of her late husband's war diary. DNZB states Hughes' birthdate as 13 March, whereas Haigh & Polaschek (1993) gives it as 12 March. AWMM Read more Death About death Contribute › Death23 July 1954 AWMM Wellington, New Zealand AWMM Date of death Age at death Place of death Cause of death Death notes Cemetery Cemetery name Grave reference ObituaryEvening Post, 27 July 1954. AWMM Memorial name Memorial reference Memorials Memorial Contribute › Memorial name Roll of Honour Remember John Gethin Hughes by laying a poppy. John Douglas Hughes John Frederick Hughes John Gethin Hughes John Gower Hughes John Herman Hughes Lay a poppy for 2021 Leave a note Leave a tribute or memory of John Gethin Hughes Leave a note Contribute › Processing Related objects The Veteran : official publication of the South African War Veterans' Association… Library / Pictorial › publication Christchurch, New Zealand ; Hamilton, New Zealand UB359.N5 VET Sources Sources Contribute › External linksMilitary personnel file http://www.archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=20524658 Further Reference Other military personnel file http://www.archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=18050698 Further Reference New Zealand History online. New Zealand in the South (Boer) War http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/war/the-south-african-boer-war/introduction Further Reference Crawford, J. A. B. 'Hughes, John Gethin 1866 - 1954'. Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, updated 7 July 2005 http://www.dnzb.govt.nz/ Further Reference Wikidata Entity http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q15998521 Further Reference DocumentsHaigh, J., Polaschek, A. (Eds.). (1993). New Zealand and the Distinguished Service Order. Christchurch, N.Z.: Authors. AWMM St Clair Inglis, A. (c1902). Souvenir Album of the first New Zealand Contingent South African War. Auckland, N.Z.: Arthur Cleave & Co. AWMM New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1914-1919). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Volume I. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer. AWMM Page No: 348 AWMM Reville, Natalie. Papers relating to World War I soldiers George Edward Mudgway and Frederick Tucker. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS-2005-4. AWMM Haigh, J., Polaschek, A. (Eds.). (1993). New Zealand and the Distinguished Service Order. Christchurch, N.Z.: Authors. AWMM Haigh, J., and Polaschek, A. (compilers). (1993). p. 127. AWMM The Evening Post AWMM Evening Post, 27 July 1954. AWMM Beattie, P.J. & Pomeroy, M. (2013-2020). Onward : portraits of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (vols 1-5). Auckland, New Zealand: Fair Dinkum Publications AWMM Vol. 1: Includes portrait AWMM Stowers, R. (2009). Rough riders at war : history of New Zealand's involvement in the Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902 and information on all members of the 10 New Zealand contingents. Hamilton, N.Z.: R. Stowers. AWMM The development of the Online Cenotaph is an ongoing process; updates, new images and records are added weekly. In some cases, records have yet to be confirmed by Museum staff, and there could be mistakes or omissions in the information provided. Online Cenotaph Data by Auckland War Memorial Museum is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License