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Hugh Llewellyn Glyn Hughes

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Hugh Llewellyn Glyn Hughes
Brigadier Glyn Hughes at Bergen-Belsen, June 1945
Nickname(s)Hughie
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service / branch British Army
Years of service1915 – 1947
RankBrigadier
UnitWiltshire Regiment
Grenadier Guards
CommandsRoyal Army Medical Corps
Battles / warsWorld War I
World War II
AwardsDSO & Bar
MC
Croix de guerre

Brigadier Hugh Llewellyn Glyn Hughes CBE, DSO & Bar, MC, Croix de guerre, MRCS (25 July 1892 – 24 November 1973) was a British military officer in the Royal Army Medical Corps and later medical administrator, educationalist and sports administrator. Hughes served in both the First and Second World War and is notable for his role in the care and rehabilitation of the victims of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.[1]

Early history

Hughes was born in Swansea, Wales[2] in 1892 and spent the first two years of his life in South Africa, before his family returned to Britain. He was educated at Epsom College in Surrey, and like his father before him, decided to become a medical practitioner, and was accepted to University College Hospital in London.[3]


Military history

First World War

After graduating from College in 1915, Hughes joined the Britsh Army and served in the First World War as a medical officer, first with the Wiltshire Regiment and later with the Grenadier Guards. He was awarded the DSO on the 25 August 1916 whilst a subaltern and within 4 months had been awarded a Bar to his DSO. His DSO citation reads:

Temp. Lt. Hugh Llewellyn Glyn Hughes RAMC. For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during operations. He went out in broad daylight, under heavy fire, and bandaged seven wounded men in the open, lying out in an exposed spot for one and a half hours. At nightfall he led a party through a heavy barrage and brought the seven men back[4]

His Bar citation is as follows:

Temp. Capt. Hugh Llewellyn Glyn Hughes DSO RAMC. On four seperate days he showed an utter contempt for danger when collecting and tending the wounded under heavy shell fire.[5]

Hughes was heavily decorated during the First World War, and before its end he was awarded the Military Cross, the Croix de guerre avec palme and was several times Mentioned in Dispatches; he was also seriously wounded on three separate occasions[3] With the end of the war, Hughes returned to his medical duties, becoming a GP in Moretonhampstead, but remained in the Army reserve at the rank of Lieutenant.

Second World War

With the outbreak of the Second World War, Hughes was mobilised in 1939 and sent to France with the Fifth Division. After the retreat of the British Army, he spent his time training medical units for units for active service.[1] By 1944 he had been promoted to Brigadiar and became Deputy Director Medical Services to the Eighth Corps and the Second Army and became the Chief Medical Officer in the advance.[3]

On 15 April 1945, while attached to the 11th Armoured Division, Hughes became the first Allied Medical Officer to enter the concentration camp at Bergen-Belsen. Hughes took control of the camp and the 4,600 German and Hungarian soldiers placed at his command by the German authorities.[6] Hughes' two main issue were the control of disease and the distribution of good. To aid with the general health of the camp victims, Hughes took control of the local hospital, removing the German patients to treat his new charges. The hospital was later renamed the Glyn Hughes Hospital in his honour.[7] The distribution of rations was a far greater problem, and with only 120 British troops, the German soldiers were ordered to assist in the control of food in the camp. On the first night of the liberation a riot broke out among the inmates over limited rations and the German guards reacted by shooting and killing several of them. To ensure this situation did not repeat itself, Hughes' threatened to execute a German soldier for every inmate killed. In September 1945, Hughes was one of the main witnesses for the prosecution in the Belsen Trial.[8] For his actions at Belsen, Hughes was awarded the Order of St. John of Jerusalem and the Legion of Merit. He also received a second Bar to his DSO for actions during the attempted relief of Arnham from the South,[3] and in 1945 he was awarded the CBE.

With the end of the war, Hughes took up the position as Commandant of the R.A.M.C. depot in Crookham, with his final military post being an Inspector of Training.[9]

Later career

After leaving the forces in 1947, Hughes took up the first of his senior medical adminstrative post, when he became the senior medical officer of the South East Metropolitan Hospital Board.[10] In this position he played a prominant role in the administration of the newly created National Health Service, and again in 1952 with the formation of the Royal College of General Practitioners.[1] He held several titles before his retirement, including Honorary Physician to the Queen, President of the Harveian Society and Medical Officer to the British Red Cross Society.

Rugby career

Outside his professional career, Hughes was a very keen sportsman, with his main interest being rugby union. At Epsom College he was captain of the rugby XV, and as an adult played club rugby for Blackheath F.C.. During the 1912/13 season he was selected to play for invitational touring team the Barbarians, an association which would continue until his death. His first match for the Barbarains was during the 1913 tour in the traditional tour encounter with Penarth, before playing against Cardiff and Swansea. He played a total of 20 games for the Barbarians over nine tours,[10] scoring a try against Newport in 1925[11] and captained the team for three matches between 1919 and 1920.

Hughes played for multiple rugby teams, most notably United Hospitals of whih the University College Hospital was connected. He also represented several county teams, including Devon, Middlesex, London Counties and captained Exeter.[10]

When in 1928, Emile de Lissa was made Vice-President of the Barbarains, Hughes was elected as Treasurer, and when Jack Haigh-Smith died suddenly in 1955, Hughes was made Secreatary of the club.[12] Hughes remained Secretary until his death in 1977, and held the post when the Barbarians famously beat the 1973 touring All Blacks at the Cardiff Arms Park. When Hughes died on 24 Novemeber 1977, it was in Edinburgh three days after watching an international rugby game between Scotland and Argentina.[3]

Bibliography

  • Starmer-Smith, Nigel (1977). The Barbarians. Macdonald & Jane's Publishers. ISBN 0860075524. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

References

  1. ^ a b c "Glyn Hughes obituary". British Journal of Sports Medicine. Retrieved 2009-06-06.
  2. ^ British Heroes of the HolocaustThe Holocaust Educational Trust
  3. ^ a b c d e Starmer-Smith (1977), pg 211.
  4. ^ "No. 29724". The London Gazette. 1916-8-25. {{cite magazine}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ "No. 29824". The London Gazette. 1916-11-14.
  6. ^ Belsen in 1945 Historylearningsite.com
  7. ^ Glyn Hughes Hospitalbaor-locations.com
  8. ^ Brigadier H. L. Glyn Hughes, C.B.E., D.S.O., M.C. Case No. 10 - The Belsen Trial
  9. ^ Hughes, Brigadier Hugh Llewellyn Glyn generals.dk
  10. ^ a b c Starmer-Smith (1977), pg 212.
  11. ^ Starmer-Smith (1977), pg 111.
  12. ^ A Brief History: Presidents Barbarianfc.co.uk
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