Hughes, David
Personal Information
Rank | F/O |
Forename(s) | David |
Surname | Hughes |
Gender | M |
Age | 34 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 11-06-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of Captain David William Hughes and Laura Hughes (née Williams), of Carnarvon, North Wales, UK. Husband of Giovannina Yolanda Hughes (née Dawson), whom he married on 31 January 1943, at St. Thomas Moore Church, Hampstead, London, England. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax III |
Serial Number | LW684 |
Markings | WL-O |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | France |
Burial/Memorial Place | Clichy Northern Cemetery |
Grave Reference | Plot 16. Row 14. Grave 12. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 185 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | J/19360 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 6 |
Squadron | 434 (Bluenose) |
Trade | WOp/AG |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | Race Control Building, Croft Auto Circuit, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Metal Plaque |
Memorial Text | In memory of those who served at RAF Croft, 1941-1945 including 419 Sqn RCAF |
Location | Roadside Location, A167, Dalton on Tees, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Stone Memorial topped with metal statue |
Memorial Text | In memory of those who served at RAF Croft, 1941-1945 including 419 Sqn RCAF |
Location | Village Green, Tholthorpe, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Memorial Stone with inscribed Metal Plaque and Maple Tree |
Memorial Text | A memorial to those Canadians who served at RCAF Tholthorpe during WW2, including 434 Sqn RCAF |
Location | Former Control Tower, old Tholthorpe airfield site, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Metal Plaque |
Memorial Text | A memorial to those Canadians who served at RCAF Tholthorpe during WW2, including 434 Sqn RCAF |
Miscellaneous Information
David was born on 12 April 1910 at Carnarvon , North Wales. Both parents were born in Wales and his father, a Navy captain, was killed on active service in 1940. He also had a brother who was a PoW in Norway and a sister in the naval service in England. The schools he attended were Crosby Road Public School, Waterloo, Liverpool, 1918-1921, and County School, High, Carnarvon 1921-1923.(Wales). The sports he engaged in were cricket and swimming and his hobby was handling guns. Around 1923 he left Wales for Canada, his family staying in UK. His work was varied and he was involved with general work, 1923-1930, Ranching 1930-1932 and Herding 1933. This was followed by seven years Trapping and hunting until 1940 when he was in packing. (He spent his winters trapping and his summers driving a pack train). He then enlisted on 28 December 1940. |
After initial training David embarked from Canada on 7 October 1941 and arrived in the U.K. at 3PRC on 19 October 1941. From there he went through 42 OTU 3 February 1942, 296 Squadron 15 June 1942, 17 OTU 11 August 1942, 464 Sqn 21 October 1942 and 23 OTU on 28 September 1943. No further movements are listed on his service record. David sadly lost his life from 434 Squadron on 11 June 1944. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 10-06-1944 |
End Date | 11-06-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Croft |
Day/Night Raid | Night (79% moon) |
Operation | Versailles- to bomb rail communications. Part of a 432 strong bomber force to bomb various railway installations to further prevent troops reaching the Normandy area. It is thought that all the targets were successfully hit but there are few details available. 18 aircraft Lost (4.2%). |
Reason for Loss | Crashed west of Villacoublay airfield at Jouay-en-Josas, France |