Posted to A Company, 3rd Battalion, New Zealand Rifle Brigade, 25 January 1916; transferred to C Company, 3rd Battalion, New Zealand Rifle Brigade, 28 January 1916.
Appointed to rank of Captain, 1 February 1916.
Embarked with 3rd Battalion, New Zealand Rifle Brigade, from Wellington on board HMNZT 'Ulimaroa', 5 February 1916; disembarked Suez, Egypt, 12 March 1916. Embarked for France from Alexandria, Egypt, on board HMT 'Alaunia', 7 April 1916.
Seconded to New Zealand Cyclist Company, 8 May 1916; rejoined 3rd Battalion, New Zealand Rifle Brigade, 4 June 1916.
Detached from 3rd Battalion, New Zealand Rifle Brigade, and appointed to command of No 1 (New Zealand) Company, 2nd Anzac Corps Cyclist Battalion, 27 July 1916; reported for duty, 29 July 1916.
Proceeded on leave to England, 3 January 1917; returned from leave and rejoined unit, 15 January 1917.
Proceeded on leave to England, 18 August 1917; returned from leave and rejoined unit, 1 September 1917.
Award of Military Cross gazetted, 17 September 1917.
Proceeded on leave to England, 21 January 1918; returned from leave and rejoined unit, 13 February 1918.
Proceeded on leave to England, 7 July 1918; returned from leave and rejoined unit, 25 July 1918.
Admitted to 23rd Casualty Clearing Station (dermatitis - gas burns), 28 September 1918; admitted to 20th General Hospital, Camiers, 30 September 1918; discharged to New Zealand Infantry and General Base Depot, Etaples, 6 October 1918. Granted three weeks sick leave to England by Medical Board (bronchitis after gassing), 12 October 1918; returned from leave to New Zealand Infantry and General Base Depot, Etaples, 4 November 1918. Marched out to rejoin unit, 5 November 1918; rejoined unit in the field, 8 November 1918.
Appointed to rank of Major and second in command of the New Zealand Cyclist Battalion, 11 December 1918. Proceeded on leave to Paris, 26 December 1918; returned from leave and rejoined unit, 5 January 1919.
Embarked for England from Calais, 10 May 1919.
Award of bar to Military Cross gazetted, 30 May 1919.
Commenced return to New Zealand from Plymouth, England, on board HMNZT 'Kigoma', 31 May 1919; arrived New Zealand, 15 July 1919. Struck off strength of NZEF and absorbed into the Reserve of Officers with rank of Major, 13 August 1919.
Medals: Military Cross, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Son of John and Margaret McHugh, of Dunedin, Otago; husband of Elizabeth McHugh, of Riccarton, Canterbury, New Zealand. AWMM