Matthew Hughes

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Matthew Hughes (1822- 9 January 1882) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Hughes was approximately 33 years old and a Private in The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), which is currently The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, British Army during the Crimean War. On 7 June 1855 at Sebastopol, the Crimea, at the storming of the Quarries, Pte Hughes went twice for ammunition across open ground, under heavy fire. He also went to the front and brought in a soldier who was severely wounded. On 18 June he volunteered to bring in a badly wounded lieutenant, and in so doing was severely wounded himself.

Hughes later achieved the rank of Corporal. His Victoria Cross is on display at the Tower of London in the Royal Fusiliers Museum.

[edit] References

"Elegant Extracts" - The Royal Fusiliers Recipients of the VC (J.P. Kelleher, 2001)
Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)