Hugh Llewellyn Glyn Hughes
Encyclopedia
Brigadier
Hugh Llewellyn Glyn Hughes CBE
, DSO
& Two Bars
, MC
, 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
.
, Wales
in 1892 and spent the first two years of his life in South Africa
, after his father emigrated to take a medical post. When Hughes was two his father died from an infection caused by pricking his finger during an operation. Hughes and his mother returned to Britain, but at the age of seven Hughes was diagnosed with having curvature of the spine and at one time was confined to a spinal carriage. He was educated at Epsom College
, and with his health issues behind him, threw himself into school life. After leaving school, like his father before him, Hughes decided to become a medical practitioner, and was accepted to University College Hospital
in London.
and later with the Grenadier Guards
. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
(DSO) on the 25 August 1916 while a subaltern and within four months had been awarded a Bar
to his DSO. His DSO citation reads:
His Bar citation is as follows:
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 Despatches; he was also seriously wounded on three separate occasions With the end of the war, Hughes returned to his medical duties, becoming a General Practitioner
in Chagford
, but remained in the Army reserve at the rank of Lieutenant.
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. Hughes' two main issues were the control of disease, after an outbreak of typhus
, and the distribution of food. 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. 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
. 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 Arnhem
from the South, earlier in the campaign, where as the most senior surviving officer, he took command of the tanks. In 1945 he was awarded the CBE.
With the end of the war, Hughes took up the position as Commandant of the RAMC depot in Crookham
, with his final military post being an Inspector of Training.
, and again in 1952 with the formation of the Royal College of General Practitioners
. 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
.
. 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 Barbarians 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, scoring a try
against Newport in 1925 and captained the team for three matches between 1919 and 1920.
Hughes played for multiple rugby teams, most notably United Hospitals
of which the University College Hospital was connected. He also represented several county teams, including Devon, Middlesex, London Counties and captained Exeter. After retiring from playing rugby, Hughes continued his association with rugby as a rugby administrator and referee. In 1936, like Tommy Vile
before him in the 1927 tour, Hughes was chosen to act as referee in the Great Britain
tour of Argentina
. He wore his Barbarian jersey on the field during the tour.
When in 1928, Emile de Lissa
was made Vice-President of the Barbarians, Hughes was elected as Treasurer, and when Jack Haigh-Smith
died suddenly in 1955, Hughes was made Secretary of the club. Hughes remained Secretary until his death in 1973, and held the post when the Barbarians famously beat the 1973 touring All Blacks
at the Cardiff Arms Park
. It was Hughes who blocked John Taylor
from becoming a Barbarian in the 1973 match, branding him a "Communist
" for refusing to face the South Africa
n rugby team for Wales
during apartheid.
When Hughes died on 24 November 1973, it was in Edinburgh
three days after watching an international rugby game between Scotland
and Argentina
.
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
Hugh Llewellyn Glyn Hughes CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
& Two Bars
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
, MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
, MRCS
Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons
MRCS is a professional qualification for surgeons in the UK and IrelandIt means Member of the Royal College of Surgeons. In the United Kingdom, doctors who gain this qualification traditionally no longer use the title 'Dr' but start to use the title 'Mr', 'Mrs', 'Miss' or 'Ms'.There are 4 surgical...
(25 July 1892 – 24 November 1973) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
military officer in the Royal Army Medical Corps
Royal Army Medical Corps
The Royal Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all British Army personnel and their families in war and in peace...
and later medical administrator, educationalist and sports administrator. Hughes served in both the First
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...
and Second World War and is notable for his role in the care and rehabilitation of the victims of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp
Bergen-Belsen concentration camp
Bergen-Belsen was a Nazi concentration camp in Lower Saxony in northwestern Germany, southwest of the town of Bergen near Celle...
.
Early history
Hughes was born in SwanseaSwansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
in 1892 and spent the first two years of his life in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, after his father emigrated to take a medical post. When Hughes was two his father died from an infection caused by pricking his finger during an operation. Hughes and his mother returned to Britain, but at the age of seven Hughes was diagnosed with having curvature of the spine and at one time was confined to a spinal carriage. He was educated at Epsom College
Epsom College
Epsom College is an independent co-educational public school in Epsom, Surrey, England, for pupils aged 13 to 18. Founded in 1853 to provide support for poor members of the medical profession such as pensioners and orphans , Epsom's long-standing association with medicine was estimated in 1980 as...
, and with his health issues behind him, threw himself into school life. After leaving school, like his father before him, Hughes decided to become a medical practitioner, and was accepted to University College Hospital
University College Hospital
University College Hospital is a teaching hospital located in London, United Kingdom. It is part of the University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and is closely associated with University College London ....
in London.
First World War
After graduating from College in 1915, Hughes joined the British Army and served in the First World War as a medical officer, first with the Wiltshire RegimentWiltshire Regiment
The Wiltshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 62nd Regiment of Foot and the 99th Duke of Edinburgh's Regiment of Foot....
and later with the Grenadier Guards
Grenadier Guards
The Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(DSO) on the 25 August 1916 while a subaltern and within four months had been awarded a Bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
to his DSO. His DSO citation reads:
His Bar citation is as follows:
Hughes was heavily decorated during the First World War, and before its end he was awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
, the Croix de guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
avec palme and was several times Mentioned in Despatches; he was also seriously wounded on three separate occasions With the end of the war, Hughes returned to his medical duties, becoming a General Practitioner
General practitioner
A general practitioner is a medical practitioner who treats acute and chronic illnesses and provides preventive care and health education for all ages and both sexes. They have particular skills in treating people with multiple health issues and comorbidities...
in Chagford
Chagford
Chagford is a small town and civil parish on the north-east edge of Dartmoor, in Devon, England, close to the River Teign. It is located off the A382, about 4 miles west of Moretonhampstead. The name Chagford is derived from the word chag, meaning gorse or broom, and the ford suffix indicates its...
, 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 Infantry Division. After the retreat of the British Army, he spent his time training medical units for active service. By 1944 he had been promoted to Brigadier and became Deputy Director Medical Services to the Eighth Corps and the Second Army and became the Chief Medical Officer in the advance.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
Bergen-Belsen concentration camp
Bergen-Belsen was a Nazi concentration camp in Lower Saxony in northwestern Germany, southwest of the town of Bergen near Celle...
. Hughes took control of the camp and the 4,600 German and Hungarian soldiers placed at his command by the German authorities. Hughes' two main issues were the control of disease, after an outbreak of typhus
Typhus
Epidemic typhus is a form of typhus so named because the disease often causes epidemics following wars and natural disasters...
, and the distribution of food. 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. 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
Belsen Trial
The Belsen Trial was one of several trials that the Allied occupation forces conducted against former officials and functionaries of Nazi Germany after the end of World War II...
. For his actions at Belsen, Hughes was awarded the Order of St. John of Jerusalem and the Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
. He also received a second Bar to his DSO, for actions during the attempted relief of Arnhem
Battle of Arnhem
The Battle of Arnhem was a famous Second World War military engagement fought in and around the Dutch towns of Arnhem, Oosterbeek, Wolfheze, Driel and the surrounding countryside from 17–26 September 1944....
from the South, earlier in the campaign, where as the most senior surviving officer, he took command of the tanks. In 1945 he was awarded the CBE.
With the end of the war, Hughes took up the position as Commandant of the RAMC depot in Crookham
Crookham Village
Crookham Village is located south-west of Fleet, in northeast Hampshire, England and lies within the Hart District.-History:Crookham dates back at least as far as the Domesday Book, although Crookham Village and Church Crookham did not become separate entities until the founding of the Christ...
, with his final military post being an Inspector of Training.
Later career
After leaving the forces in 1947, Hughes took up the first of his senior medical administrative posts, when he became the senior medical officer of the South East Metropolitan Hospital Board. In this position he played a prominent role in the administration of the newly created National Health ServiceNational Health Service
The National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
, and again in 1952 with the formation of the Royal College of General Practitioners
Royal College of General Practitioners
The Royal College of General Practitioners is the professional body for general practitioners in the United Kingdom. The RCGP represents and supports GPs on key issues including licensing, education, training, research and clinical standards. It is the largest of the medical royal colleges, with...
. He held several titles before his retirement, including Honorary Physician to the Queen
Physician to the Queen
Physician to the King and Physician to the Queen are titles of the physician who is chief officer of the Medical Household of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom...
, President of the Harveian Society and Medical Officer to the British Red Cross Society
British Red Cross
The British Red Cross Society is the United Kingdom branch of the worldwide impartial humanitarian organisation the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The society was formed in 1870, and is a registered charity with over 31,000 volunteers and 2,600 staff. At the heart of their work...
.
Rugby career
Outside his professional career, Hughes was a very keen sportsman, with his main interest being rugby unionRugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
. 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
Barbarian F.C.
The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain...
, an association which would continue until his death. His first match for the Barbarians was during the 1913 tour in the traditional tour encounter with Penarth
Penarth RFC
Penarth Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club based since 1924 at The Athletic Field, Lavernock Road, in Penarth, in the Vale of Glamorgan in Wales.-Origins and early history:...
, before playing against Cardiff
Cardiff RFC
Cardiff Rugby Football Club is a rugby union football club based in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. The club was founded in 1876 and played their first few matches at Sophia Gardens, but soon relocated to Cardiff Arms Park where they have been based ever since...
and Swansea
Swansea RFC
Swansea Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. Its home ground is St Helens Rugby and Cricket Ground in Swansea. The team is sometimes known as The Whites because of the primary colour of the team strip...
. He played a total of 20 games for the Barbarians over nine tours, scoring a try
Try
A try is the major way of scoring points in rugby league and rugby union football. A try is scored by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area...
against Newport in 1925 and captained the team for three matches between 1919 and 1920.
Hughes played for multiple rugby teams, most notably United Hospitals
Royal Free, University College and Middlesex Medical Students RFC
Royal Free, University College and Middlesex Medical Students RFC is the rugby union club for UCL Medical School, which is part of the University of London. The rugby club is commonly referred to by its shortened name of RUMS RFC or RUMS Rugby...
of which the University College Hospital was connected. He also represented several county teams, including Devon, Middlesex, London Counties and captained Exeter. After retiring from playing rugby, Hughes continued his association with rugby as a rugby administrator and referee. In 1936, like Tommy Vile
Tommy Vile
Major Thomas Henry "Tommy" Vile MBE was a Welsh international rugby union player. He played club rugby predominantly for Newport, captaining the side twice and played county rugby for Monmouthshire. He also represented the British Isles in Australia, and after retiring from playing became an...
before him in the 1927 tour, Hughes was chosen to act as referee in the Great Britain
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
tour of Argentina
1936 British Lions tour to Argentina
The 1936 Great Britain tour of Argentina was a series of rugby union matches arranged between a British invitational team and various Argentine teams. The tourists played ten matches, nine of which were against club and combined teams while one match took in a full Argentina national team...
. He wore his Barbarian jersey on the field during the tour.
When in 1928, Emile de Lissa
Emile de Lissa
Emile Ernest Vere de Lissa was an Australian-born rugby union official who became the second president of the Barbarians.-Personal history:...
was made Vice-President of the Barbarians, Hughes was elected as Treasurer, and when Jack Haigh-Smith
Hamilton Smith (cricketer)
Hamilton Augustus Haigh Smith was an English cricketer. Smith was a right-handed batsman who bowled leg break googly.Smith was educated at Marlborough College....
died suddenly in 1955, Hughes was made Secretary of the club. Hughes remained Secretary until his death in 1973, and held the post when the Barbarians famously beat the 1973 touring All Blacks
New Zealand national rugby team
New Zealand national rugby team may refer to national teams in the different varieties of rugby:* New Zealand national rugby union team, better known as the All Blacks, administered by the New Zealand Rugby Football Union....
at the Cardiff Arms Park
Cardiff Arms Park
Cardiff Arms Park , also known as The Arms Park, is primarily known as a rugby union stadium, but it also has a bowling green, and is situated in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. The Arms Park was host to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1958, and hosted four games in the 1991 Rugby World...
. It was Hughes who blocked John Taylor
John Taylor (rugby player)
John Taylor is a Welsh former rugby union player and current commentator. Nicknamed "Basil Brush" thanks to his wild hair and beard, he played as a flanker for London Welsh , and represented Wales 26 times between 1967 and 1973.-Rugby career:Perhaps his most famous moment was in the Five Nations...
from becoming a Barbarian in the 1973 match, branding him a "Communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
" for refusing to face the South Africa
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
n rugby team for Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
during apartheid.
When Hughes died on 24 November 1973, it was in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
three days after watching an international rugby game between Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
and Argentina
Argentina national rugby union team
The Argentina national rugby team, nicknamed Los Pumas, represents Argentina in international rugby union matches. The team, which plays in sky blue and white jerseys, is organised by the Argentine Rugby Union .Argentina played its first international rugby match in 1910 against a touring British...
.
Awards and decorations
- Commander of the Order of the British Empire
- Distinguished Service OrderDistinguished Service OrderThe Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
& Two BarsMedal barA medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the... - Military CrossMilitary CrossThe Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
- Mentioned in Despatches
- Croix de guerre avec palme (France)
- Legion of MeritLegion of MeritThe Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
(United States) - Order of St. John of Jerusalem
- Membership of the Royal College of SurgeonsMembership of the Royal College of SurgeonsMRCS is a professional qualification for surgeons in the UK and IrelandIt means Member of the Royal College of Surgeons. In the United Kingdom, doctors who gain this qualification traditionally no longer use the title 'Dr' but start to use the title 'Mr', 'Mrs', 'Miss' or 'Ms'.There are 4 surgical...