Airborne Assault MuseumArticle
Normandy (Operation Overlord)
Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of occupied Europe commonly known as D-Day, saw the 6th Airborne Division in action f...
Lieutenant Alfred Hughes was the son of Richard and Ellen Hughes, of Preston, Lancashire, and husband of Violet Ida Hughes, also of Preston. He began his service in 1938 with Cavalry of the Line, 12th Lancers before transfer to the Royal Armoured Corps shortly before the Second World War.He subsequently travelled to France in Oct 1939 as part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), returning on 16 June 1940 following the evacuation from mainland Europe ahead of the advancing German forces.
His Airborne service began shortly afterwards with No. 2 Commando, and then later as part of No.11 SAS Battalion in December 1940 where he progressed through the ranks. He gained a commission as Second Lieutenant in the Army Air Corps in May 1943. Shortly afterwards he was posted to the 9th Parachute Battalion, gaining a promotion to War Substantive Lieutenant in November 1943.
He enplaned for Normandy at Broadwell, and was killed in action on 6th June 1944, aged 28 years old. He is now buried at St Vaast-En-Auge Churchyard, Normandy.
Service History
- 1938 Cavalry of the Line, 12th Lancers (Recruit)
- 1939 12th Lancers, Royal Armoured Corps (Private)
- 1939 12th Lancers, Royal Armoured Corps (Lance Corporal)
- 1940 No 2 Commando (Lance Corporal)
- 1940 11 SAS Battalion (Lance Corporal)
- 1941 11 SAS Battalion
- 1941 11 SAS Battalion
- 1943 162nd Officer Cadet Training Unit (Recruit)
- 1943 Army Air Corps (Second Lieutenant)
- 1943 9th (Essex) Parachute Battalion (Second Lieutenant)
- 1943 9th (Essex) Parachute Battalion (Lieutenant)
