Paterson Clarence Hughes

Infobox Military Person
name=Paterson Clarence Hughes
lived=1918 - 1940
placeofbirth= Cooma, New South Wales Australia
placeofdeath= Sundridge, Kent, England


caption=
nickname=
allegiance=flagicon|Australia Australia
branch=
serviceyears=1937 - 1940
rank=Flight Lieutenant
commands=
battles=World War II
*Battle of Britain
awards=Distinguished Flying Cross
laterwork=
Flight Lieutenant Paterson Clarence Hughes DFC (September 19, 1917 – September 7, 1940), was a Royal Australian Air Force fighter pilot, assigned to the Royal Air Force during the Battle of Britain in World War II.

The top-scoring Australian flying ace of the Battle of Britain and one of the 24 Australians who lost their lives during the battle, [ [http://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/battle_of_britain/index.htm Battle of Britain] Australian War memorial] Hughes has been described as the "real driving force behind No. 234 Squadron RAF." [http://cas.awm.gov.au/heraldry/REL/17986.001 Distinguished Flying Cross : Flight Lieutenant P C Hughes, 234 Squadron RAF] AWM Collection Record: REL/17986.001]

Biography

The son of a school teacher, also called Paterson Clarence Hughes and his wife Caroline Vennel, Pat was the youngest child of a family of five boys and seven girls, born in Cooma, New South Wales, Australia, on 19th September 1917. Pat was educated at Cooma Public School, and after the family moved to the Haberfield suburb of Sydney when he was 12 he attended the Petersham Boys’ School, and then Fort Street High School until aged 17.

RAAF

Hughes wanted a career in the military, and applied for both the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force. While undergoing the application process and awaiting the outcomes, Hughes worked at Saunders' Jewellers in Sydney. Accepted for both services, he choose to train as a pilot with the RAAF at RAAF Point Cook, based in a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria - during which, as an accomplished photographer, he took many photographs of base life. Hughes was trained to fly in de Havilland Gipsy Moths, Avro Cadets, and then onto Westland Wapitis, Hawker Demons as well as with Supermarine Seagull V. [ [http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/archive/index.php?t-47873.html Pat Hughes - Remembering a Battle of Britain pilot sixty five years on] keypublishing.co.uk] After graduation, he applied and was selected with a number of others to transfer to the Royal Air Force under a special Short Service Commission Scheme, sailing for England on 9 January, 1937.

RAF

Always a proud Australian, Hughes always wore the slightly darker blue uniform of the RAAF throughout his service with the RAF, but with RAF insignia. After two years training as a fighter pilot he was a member of No. 64 Squadron RAF at RAF Church Fenton when World War Two began in September 1939.

On November 6, Hughes was promoted to acting Flight Lieutenant within the newly formed No. 234 Squadron at RAF Leconfield alongside Bob Doe, and it was in the local town of Beverley in February 1940 that Hughes met Kathleen Brodrick of Kingston upon Hull in the Beverley Arms Hotel. No. 234 had originally been equipped on formation with Fairey Battles, Bristol Blenheims and Gloster Gauntlets, but retrained in March 1940 with Supermarine Spitfires. After helping to set-up No.247 (China British) Squadron at Roborough, Plymouth he rejoined No. 234 squadron as it was transferred to RAF St Eval in Cornwall in June 1940, [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/47/a4113947.shtml LAC Clarke No 901301] BBC Peoples War] and on 1 August Hughes married Kay in the local registry office.

Battle of Britain

The Battle of Britain began in July 1940, and Hughes was credited with the first confirmed kill for the squadron with the shooting down of a Junkers Ju 88 near Lands End on July 8, and a half on July 28. [ [http://www.battleofbritain.net/0022.html July 25th - July 31st 1940 ] ]

The duties of No. 234 included providing air cover for No. 10 Squadron RAAF's base at RAF Mount Batten in Plymouth,Barnes and James, "Short Aircraft Since 1900", p.338] who flew long distance missions over the Atlantic Ocean and into the Mediterranean Sea. As a result, in August No. 234 transferred to RAF Middle Wallop in Hampshire. It was during this next three week period, using the aggressive tactic deployed by other great aces of getting in close to achieve a kill and which may ultimately have led to his death, that Hughes became recognised as the driving force behind the achievements of No. 234 Squadron.

Starting on August 15 in one of the most costly engagements of the Battle of Britain, Hughes claimed a double victory over two Messerschmitt Me 110s. His double success continued on the 18th and 26th August, making him a fighter ace and for which he was awarded his Distinguished Flying Cross. He claimed more doubles on September 4th, 5th and 6th; bringing his official tally to 13 and two half victories.

7th September

In early evening of 7th September, No. 234 ran into a force of 60 German aircraft consisting of Dornier Do 17s and escorting Messerschmitt Bf 109s. Hughes was leading his Section in Spitfire X4009 and dived to attack the bombers. The official RAF report states that after Hughes attacked a Do 17 from close range, a large section of the bomber broke away and appeared to hit Hughes' Spitfire, which crashed into Darks Farm in the village of Bessels Green, Kent. Hughes exited the aircraft, but his parachute failed to open, and his body was found in the garden of a house in the nearby village of Sundridge. The official record shows that Hughes died around 18.30 hrs. It should also be noted that in the same action, the Squadron Leader of No. 234 O’Brien also died.

Franz von Werra

At this point, Hughes official record showed 14 victories, and two half victories, but posthumously he was awarded another half victory for the shooting down of Oberleutnant Franz von Werra, the famous Axis PoW "One That Got Away" Axis PoW. Originally credited fully to Basil Gerald 'Stapme' Stapleton who finished von Werra's Bf 109 off, Hughes final DFC citation awarded him a half credit in the London Gazette of 22nd October 1940. After escaping from British POW camps several times, von Werra was shipped off to Canada. After escaping from a moving train at night, he crossed the frozen St Lawrence River in a stolen rowing boat to freedom in the then neutral United States. Repatriated to Germany, von Werra fought in Russia during Operation Barbarossa, returning to Holland with Jagdgeschwader 53 he disappeared while on a routine patrol north of Vlissingen on 25 October 1941, probably due to engine failure.

Memorial

A war widow after only five weeks of marriage, Kay decided to bury her husband in her local parish church. After a service at St James', Sutton-on-Hull, on 13 September 1940, Hughes was buried with full military honors in the churchyard. His marble grave stone does not show his nationality, but like the majority killed during WW2 that he was a serving pilot in the RAF. The grave was tended by the local sub-branch of the Spitfire Society, and is now cared for by a local couple. [ [http://www.rhaywood.karoo.net/st-james/pch.htm Pat Hughes bio and much information about where he rests] ] Hughes DFC and other service medals are held in the collection of the Australian War Memorial, in Canberra.

In Australia, Hughes is commemorated at Christ's Church, Kiama, with a memorial tablet placed by his sister Muriel Tongue, which reads: "This panel is dedicated to the memory of F/Lt P C Hughes DFC killed in action Battle of Britain 7 September, 1940. Aged 23." A special memorial depicting his aircraft and the area of his major operations, was unveiled and dedicated at Monaghan Hayes Place, Cooma, on 26 March 1998, in the presence of members of the Spitfire Association.

In England, on the 65th anniversary of Hughes death, brothers Desmond and Tony Hall unveiled a plaque on the wall of the bungalow where Hughes body fell. The brothers father, who watched Hughes last dog fight, was always adamant that Hughes purposefully rammed the Dornier in order to bring it down. With the assistance of The Battle of Britain Historical Society and in a service attended by 70 people, the local vicar Reverend David Attwood gave a prayer and reading. Followed by "The Last Post," a minutes silence was ended by the playing of "Reveille," which resulted in the unveiling of the plaque, and the laying of a wreath. After a flypast by a Percival Proctor from a local flying club, a reception was held at Shoreham Aircraft Museum.

Combat Record

"NOTE: this table is not complete in numbers or detail, but if you can add to it or simply confirm types, please do so - Thank You!"

References

*Ness, William N. - "The Allied Aces Of World War II" - Pub 1966, Arco Publishing Co., Inc., New York

Notes

External links

* [http://www.rhaywood.karoo.net/st-james/pch.htm Pat Hughes bio and much information about where he rests]
* [http://www.the-battle-of-britain.co.uk/pilots/Ho-pilots.html#HughesPC Bio of Pat Hughes at the-battle-of-britain.co.uk]