Military service
Burial/memorial information
Digital gallery of Squadron Leader Alfred Johnstone Hughes
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Digital gallery of
Squadron Leader Alfred Johnstone Hughes
Inscription - Runnymede Memorial - September 2010 … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
Digital gallery of
Squadron Leader Alfred Johnstone Hughes
Stone of Remembrance - Runnymede Memorial - September 2010 … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
Digital gallery of
Squadron Leader Alfred Johnstone Hughes
Runnymede Memorial - September 2010 … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
Digital gallery of
Squadron Leader Alfred Johnstone Hughes
Panels - Runnymede Memorial - September 2010 … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
Digital gallery of
Squadron Leader Alfred Johnstone Hughes
Entrance - Runnymede Memorial - September 2010 … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
Digital gallery of
Squadron Leader Alfred Johnstone Hughes
This photograph of S/L A J Hughes is taken from his pers file in the Canadian Archives. It was probably taken at the time he was awarded his wings since he shows no ribbons underneath the wings.
Source: Li9brary & Archives Canada RG 24 Vol
Via R. Whitehouse
Digital gallery of
Squadron Leader Alfred Johnstone Hughes
This report by No. 4 Missing Search and Enquiry Unit of the RAF describes the end of Hughes' Lancaster as viewed b y German witnesses. The bodies were so badly disfured that no identification could occur. This was the only Lancaster lost in the area on that night. Still they are still listed as missing because no positive ID was established.
Source: Li9brary & Archives Canada RG 24 Vol
Via R. Whitehouse
Digital gallery of
Squadron Leader Alfred Johnstone Hughes
The original Exhumation Report (p1) done by F/L Thorogood on 8 Sept 1948.
This is the report referred to in the HQ report. The bodies were so badly burned that there was no possibility of ID. The ID tags were made of compressed fiber and would burn in a really bad crash.
This (Riechswald Forest Military Cemetery) is the most probable grave site for Hughes and his crew.
Source: Library & Archives Canada RG 24 Vol
Via R. Whitehouse
Digital gallery of
Squadron Leader Alfred Johnstone Hughes
Air Ministry Letter 21 March 1949<P>
This letter acknowledges that only one aircraft was missing in the crash area on that night. (Lancaster II DS 679) <P>
Source: Library & Archives Canada RG 24 Vol
Via R. Whitehouse
Digital gallery of
Squadron Leader Alfred Johnstone Hughes
426 Sqdn Letter 27 Nov 1943
The letter to the Air Ministry giving details of the crew's operational experience. This gives the names, numbers and crew positions as well.
Source: Library & Archives Canada RG 24 Vol
Via R. Whitehouse
Digital gallery of
Squadron Leader Alfred Johnstone Hughes
Mission Aborted 7 Nov 43<P>
On 7 Nov 43 Hughes and his crew were on an outward trip to Stuttgard when another Lancaster mistook them for a German nightfighter intruder and opened fire on them. Only Hughes was hit but the mission had to be aborted. He was hit by a .303 round in the left thigh. The wound was not serious, so Hughes quickly return to operations. He was killed 40 days later, just after the death of his father on the 15th of November, 1943.<P>
Source: Library & Archives Canada RG 24 Vol
Via R. Whitehouse
Digital gallery of
Squadron Leader Alfred Johnstone Hughes
Scholfield Letter 3 Jan 47<P>
This short letter to the Air Ministry was prompted a the author's reading of the German Death Cards for a crash in the area of Neiderlangen, District of Axchendorf, Germany for the night of 27 Nov 43. As he states, the area was on the bombing route of Lancaster DS 679 of426 Sqdn RCAF. This was the only crash that was located in the Germany records that fulfilled the time and route criteria for the Hughes crew. It brought about all the other investigations.
The German document is named at the top (EV 4635/44)<P>
Source:Library & Archives Canada RG24 via R. Whitehouse
Digital gallery of
Squadron Leader Alfred Johnstone Hughes
Message Enclaire NOK 27 Nov 43<P>
This message was sent to the Air Ministry on the day after the crash to notify them of the Next of Kin.<P>
Source:Library & Archives Canada RG24 via R. Whitehouse
Digital gallery of
Squadron Leader Alfred Johnstone Hughes
Message Enclaire NOK 27 Nov 43<P>
This message was sent to the Air Ministry as a standard missing aircraft alert. It states the answers to preset questions. If you read it carefully, you can guess what the questions were. This was done for every single missing aircraft for the entire period of the war.<P>
Source:Library & Archives Canada RG24 via R. Whitehouse
Digital gallery of
Squadron Leader Alfred Johnstone Hughes
Post Presumption Memo 2302/49<P>
On 21 Sept 1949 the RCAF closed the file on Hughes and his crew with this memo. They knew at the time that there was a crew of a possible Lancaster buried in the Reichswald Forest Cemetery. They had the German documents on the case. However, the bodies, when exhumed for reburial, were so totally burned and broken that no identification was possible with the technology of that day. We know that Hughes was very tall for a pilot (6'2"). Today, a study of the bones would tell us "if" one of those bodies could have been Hughes. If that were the case, then there is a strong possibility that the others could be given a "collective grave".<P>
Source:Library & Archives Canada RG24 via R. Whitehouse
Digital gallery of
Squadron Leader Alfred Johnstone Hughes
Father J P Lardie's comments as inscribed on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
Digital gallery of
Squadron Leader Alfred Johnstone Hughes
Squadron Leader Alfred Johnstone Hughes is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
Digital gallery of
Squadron Leader Alfred Johnstone Hughes
Squadron Leader Alfred Johnstone Hughes is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
Digital gallery of
Squadron Leader Alfred Johnstone Hughes
From the Toronto Star January 1944. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
Digital gallery of
Squadron Leader Alfred Johnstone Hughes
From the Toronto Telegram January 1944. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
Digital gallery of
Squadron Leader Alfred Johnstone Hughes
From the Hamilton Spectator c.1941. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
Digital gallery of
Squadron Leader Alfred Johnstone Hughes
From the Hamilton Spectator c.1942. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
Image gallery
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Inscription - Runnymede Memorial - September 2010 … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
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Stone of Remembrance - Runnymede Memorial - September 2010 … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
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Runnymede Memorial - September 2010 … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
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Panels - Runnymede Memorial - September 2010 … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
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Entrance - Runnymede Memorial - September 2010 … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
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This photograph of S/L A J Hughes is taken from his pers file in the Canadian Archives. It was probably taken at the time he was awarded his wings since he shows no ribbons underneath the wings. Source: Li9brary & Archives Canada RG 24 Vol Via R. Whitehouse
-
This report by No. 4 Missing Search and Enquiry Unit of the RAF describes the end of Hughes' Lancaster as viewed b y German witnesses. The bodies were so badly disfured that no identification could occur. This was the only Lancaster lost in the area on that night. Still they are still listed as missing because no positive ID was established. Source: Li9brary & Archives Canada RG 24 Vol Via R. Whitehouse
-
The original Exhumation Report (p1) done by F/L Thorogood on 8 Sept 1948. This is the report referred to in the HQ report. The bodies were so badly burned that there was no possibility of ID. The ID tags were made of compressed fiber and would burn in a really bad crash. This (Riechswald Forest Military Cemetery) is the most probable grave site for Hughes and his crew. Source: Library & Archives Canada RG 24 Vol Via R. Whitehouse
-
Air Ministry Letter 21 March 1949<P> This letter acknowledges that only one aircraft was missing in the crash area on that night. (Lancaster II DS 679) <P> Source: Library & Archives Canada RG 24 Vol Via R. Whitehouse
-
426 Sqdn Letter 27 Nov 1943 The letter to the Air Ministry giving details of the crew's operational experience. This gives the names, numbers and crew positions as well. Source: Library & Archives Canada RG 24 Vol Via R. Whitehouse
-
Mission Aborted 7 Nov 43<P> On 7 Nov 43 Hughes and his crew were on an outward trip to Stuttgard when another Lancaster mistook them for a German nightfighter intruder and opened fire on them. Only Hughes was hit but the mission had to be aborted. He was hit by a .303 round in the left thigh. The wound was not serious, so Hughes quickly return to operations. He was killed 40 days later, just after the death of his father on the 15th of November, 1943.<P> Source: Library & Archives Canada RG 24 Vol Via R. Whitehouse
-
Scholfield Letter 3 Jan 47<P> This short letter to the Air Ministry was prompted a the author's reading of the German Death Cards for a crash in the area of Neiderlangen, District of Axchendorf, Germany for the night of 27 Nov 43. As he states, the area was on the bombing route of Lancaster DS 679 of426 Sqdn RCAF. This was the only crash that was located in the Germany records that fulfilled the time and route criteria for the Hughes crew. It brought about all the other investigations. The German document is named at the top (EV 4635/44)<P> Source:Library & Archives Canada RG24 via R. Whitehouse
-
Message Enclaire NOK 27 Nov 43<P> This message was sent to the Air Ministry on the day after the crash to notify them of the Next of Kin.<P> Source:Library & Archives Canada RG24 via R. Whitehouse
-
Message Enclaire NOK 27 Nov 43<P> This message was sent to the Air Ministry as a standard missing aircraft alert. It states the answers to preset questions. If you read it carefully, you can guess what the questions were. This was done for every single missing aircraft for the entire period of the war.<P> Source:Library & Archives Canada RG24 via R. Whitehouse
-
Post Presumption Memo 2302/49<P> On 21 Sept 1949 the RCAF closed the file on Hughes and his crew with this memo. They knew at the time that there was a crew of a possible Lancaster buried in the Reichswald Forest Cemetery. They had the German documents on the case. However, the bodies, when exhumed for reburial, were so totally burned and broken that no identification was possible with the technology of that day. We know that Hughes was very tall for a pilot (6'2"). Today, a study of the bones would tell us "if" one of those bodies could have been Hughes. If that were the case, then there is a strong possibility that the others could be given a "collective grave".<P> Source:Library & Archives Canada RG24 via R. Whitehouse
-
Father J P Lardie's comments as inscribed on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
-
Squadron Leader Alfred Johnstone Hughes is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
-
Squadron Leader Alfred Johnstone Hughes is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
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From the Toronto Star January 1944. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
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From the Toronto Telegram January 1944. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
-
From the Hamilton Spectator c.1941. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
-
From the Hamilton Spectator c.1942. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
In the Books of Remembrance
Commemorated on:
Page 172 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance.
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RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL Surrey, United Kingdom
During the Second World War more than 116,000 men and women of the Air Forces of the British Commonwealth gave their lives in service. More than 17,000 of these were members of the Royal Canadian Air Force, or Canadians serving with the Royal Air Force. Approximately one-third of all who died have no known grave. Of these, 20,450 are commemorated by name on the Runnymede Memorial, which is situated at Englefield Green, near Egham, 32 kilometers by road west of London.
The design of the Runnymede Memorial is original and striking. On the crest of Cooper's Hill, overlooking the Thames, a square tower dominates a cloister, in the centre of which rests the Stone of Remembrance. The cloistered walks terminate in two lookouts, one facing towards Windsor, and the other towards London Airport at Heathrow. The names of the dead are inscribed on the stone reveals of the narrow windows in the cloisters and the lookouts. They include those of 3,050 Canadian airmen. Above the three-arched entrance to the cloister is a great stone eagle with the Royal Air Force motto, Per Ardua ad Astra". On each side is the inscription:
IN THIS CLOISTER ARE RECORDED THE NAMES OF TWENTY THOUSAND AIRMEN WHO HAVE NO KNOWN GRAVE. THEY DIED FOR FREEDOM IN RAID AND SORTIE OVER THE BRITISH ISLES AND THE LANDS AND SEAS OF NORTHERN AND WESTERN EUROPE
In the tower a vaulted shrine, which provides a quiet place for contemplation, contains illuminated verses by Paul H. Scott."
For more information, visit Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
The Poppy Design is a trademark of The Royal Canadian Legion (Dominion Command) and is used with permission. Click here to learn more about the poppy.
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