Pte. Stanley Hughes

Stanley Hughes was the son of George and Sarah, and had two sisters, Alice and Jessie. The family lived at Little Broome Cottage, Broome Lane, Eardisland.

At some early stage in the war, Stanley Hughes signed up for the Royal Horse Artillery (RHA) in Woolwich, South London. He transferred from the RHA to the Royal Irish Fusiliers, (RIF) and was posted to C Company of the 2ndBattalion, which deployed to Macedonia, Greece in October 1915 as part of the British Salonika Force.

Anglo-French forces began landing at the Greek port of Salonika on 5 October 1915. The troops were sent to provide military assistance to the Serbs but the intervention came too late. After a brief winter campaign in severe weather conditions, the Anglo-French forces withdrew back at Salonika.

During 1916, further Allied contingents of Serbian, Italian and Russian troops arrived and offensive operations began. The allies were initially successful in regaining ground although a 1917 spring offensive to include the British Army’s First Battle of Doiran in April and May made little impression on the Bulgarian defences. Protracted periods in trench warfare positions gave rise to serious risks from disease, especially malaria. Stanley Hughes was amongst those struck down and was evacuated to hospital. He failed to recover and malaria was his cause of death.