Frederic Godfrey Hughes
Encyclopedia
Major General
Frederic Godfrey Hughes CB
(26 January 1858 – 23 August 1944) was an Australian Army
Major General
in World War I
.
, the son of a grazier. He was educated at Melbourne Grammar School
and became a clerk for a land valuer. Later he set up his own land valuation business. Hughes became involved in local politics and in 1898 Hughes was elected a St Kilda
City Councillor. He served for 24 years and was Mayor
of St Kilda from 1901 to 1902 and again from 1911 to 1912. He had various business interests, including directorships of Dunlop Rubber and South Broken Hill.
Hughes joined the St Kilda Artillery Battery as a driver in 1875. He became a sergeant in 1883 and was commissioned in 1885. On 20 August 1888 he was promoted to captain and took command of the Victorian Nordenfeldt Battery. Hughes was promoted to major in 1891. His battery was disbanded on 30 June 1897 and Hughes was transferred to the field artillery and became at staff officer at Headquarters in Melbourne. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1900. In 1903, he was given command of the 11th Light Horse Regiment. On 6 December 1907 he was promoted to colonel and took command of the 4th Light Horse Brigade
, which was renamed the 7th Light Horse Brigade in 1912. In 1909, Hughes became an aide de camp to the Governor General.
as a colonel on 17 October 1914 and given command of the 3rd Light Horse Brigade
. Like most militia brigadiers, Hughes was given a regular officer as a brigade major, in his case, Lieutenant Colonel Antill
. Although not an easy man to get along with, Hughes relied heavily on Antill.
The brigade departed for Egypt
in February 1915 where it trained until alerted for dismounted action at Gallipoli
in May. It arrived on 20 May 1915 and became part of Major General Alexander Godley
's New Zealand and Australian Division
. The ANZAC
commander, Lieutenant General Birdwood, had grave doubts about Hughes capacity.
Godley ordered Hughes to attack the Turkish
positions at the Nek
at 0430 on 7 August 1915 with a bayonet charge in support of the New Zealand attack on Chunuk Bair. The attack stalled from the very beginning, when the artillery lifted some seven minutes early according to watches on Russell's Top. Then wave after wave of light horsemen charged the Turkish trenches at the Nek, only to be cut down.
Hughes mismanaged the battle. He left his headquarters around the time the second wave of 150 had attacked in order to try to observe the attack, thereby isolating himself from Antill and the rest of his headquarters. After the third wave had been slaughtered, Hughes gave orders for the attack to be discontinued, but not in time to save the fourth wave. He seems to have become completely rattled.
Hughes was evacuated from Gallipoli
on 20 September 1915 with typhoid. He was evacuated to Australia
in March 1916 suffering from typhoid and pneumonia
. In July 1918, he was reappointed to the AIF and served with the Sea Transport Service. He retired in March 1920 with the rank of major general.
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Frederic Godfrey Hughes CB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(26 January 1858 – 23 August 1944) was an Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Early life and career
Frederic Godfrey Hughes was born on 26 January 1858 in the Melbourne suburb of WindsorWindsor, Victoria
Windsor is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 5 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Stonnington. At the 2006 Census, Windsor had a population of 6394....
, the son of a grazier. He was educated at Melbourne Grammar School
Melbourne Grammar School
Melbourne Grammar School is an independent, Anglican, day and boarding school predominantly for boys, located in South Yarra and Caulfield, suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
and became a clerk for a land valuer. Later he set up his own land valuation business. Hughes became involved in local politics and in 1898 Hughes was elected a St Kilda
St Kilda, Victoria
St Kilda is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km south from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Port Phillip...
City Councillor. He served for 24 years and was Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of St Kilda from 1901 to 1902 and again from 1911 to 1912. He had various business interests, including directorships of Dunlop Rubber and South Broken Hill.
Hughes joined the St Kilda Artillery Battery as a driver in 1875. He became a sergeant in 1883 and was commissioned in 1885. On 20 August 1888 he was promoted to captain and took command of the Victorian Nordenfeldt Battery. Hughes was promoted to major in 1891. His battery was disbanded on 30 June 1897 and Hughes was transferred to the field artillery and became at staff officer at Headquarters in Melbourne. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1900. In 1903, he was given command of the 11th Light Horse Regiment. On 6 December 1907 he was promoted to colonel and took command of the 4th Light Horse Brigade
4th Light Horse Brigade
The 4th Light Horse Brigade was a mounted infantry brigade of the First Australian Imperial Force serving in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I. The brigade was formed in March 1915 and shipped to Egypt without their horses and was broken up in Egypt in August 1915...
, which was renamed the 7th Light Horse Brigade in 1912. In 1909, Hughes became an aide de camp to the Governor General.
World War I
Hughes was appointed to the First Australian Imperial ForceFirst Australian Imperial Force
The First Australian Imperial Force was the main expeditionary force of the Australian Army during World War I. It was formed from 15 August 1914, following Britain's declaration of war on Germany. Generally known at the time as the AIF, it is today referred to as the 1st AIF to distinguish from...
as a colonel on 17 October 1914 and given command of the 3rd Light Horse Brigade
3rd Light Horse Brigade
The 3rd Light Horse Brigade was a mounted infantry brigade of the First Australian Imperial Force which served in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I....
. Like most militia brigadiers, Hughes was given a regular officer as a brigade major, in his case, Lieutenant Colonel Antill
John Antill (General)
Major General John Macquarie Antill, Jr. CB, CMG was a senior Australian Army officer in World War I. Antill is best known for his refusal to call off a suicidal charge on the Turkish lines at The Nek in the Gallipoli Campaign. He was forced to do so, as he was under direct orders from Major...
. Although not an easy man to get along with, Hughes relied heavily on Antill.
The brigade departed for Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
in February 1915 where it trained until alerted for dismounted action at Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
in May. It arrived on 20 May 1915 and became part of Major General Alexander Godley
Alexander Godley
General Sir Alexander John Godley GCB, KCMG was a First World War general, best known for his role as commander of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force...
's New Zealand and Australian Division
New Zealand and Australian Division
The New Zealand and Australian Division was formed at the start of the Battle of Gallipoli as a composite division under the command of New Zealand general Alexander Godley. At the start of World War I New Zealand had mustered insufficient infantry battalions to form their own division while...
. The ANZAC
Australian and New Zealand Army Corps
The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps was a First World War army corps of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force that was formed in Egypt in 1915 and operated during the Battle of Gallipoli. General William Birdwood commanded the corps, which comprised troops from the First Australian Imperial...
commander, Lieutenant General Birdwood, had grave doubts about Hughes capacity.
Godley ordered Hughes to attack the Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
positions at the Nek
Battle of the Nek
The Battle of the Nek was a small World War I battle fought as part of the Gallipoli campaign. "The Nek" was a narrow stretch of ridge in the Anzac battlefield on the Gallipoli peninsula. The name derives from the Afrikaans word for a "mountain pass" but the terrain itself was a perfect bottleneck...
at 0430 on 7 August 1915 with a bayonet charge in support of the New Zealand attack on Chunuk Bair. The attack stalled from the very beginning, when the artillery lifted some seven minutes early according to watches on Russell's Top. Then wave after wave of light horsemen charged the Turkish trenches at the Nek, only to be cut down.
Hughes mismanaged the battle. He left his headquarters around the time the second wave of 150 had attacked in order to try to observe the attack, thereby isolating himself from Antill and the rest of his headquarters. After the third wave had been slaughtered, Hughes gave orders for the attack to be discontinued, but not in time to save the fourth wave. He seems to have become completely rattled.
Hughes was evacuated from Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
on 20 September 1915 with typhoid. He was evacuated to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in March 1916 suffering from typhoid and pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
. In July 1918, he was reappointed to the AIF and served with the Sea Transport Service. He retired in March 1920 with the rank of major general.