WWII ANTWERP IMMEDIATE M.M. GROUP OF 6 MEDALS TO SJT. E.E. HUGHES, K.S.L.I.

Military Medal Gazetted 1 Mar 1945:

"On 4 Sep '44, 4 K.S.L.I. entered Antwerp and "B" Coy was sent to seize and hold a bridge, which it did without opposition. During their occupation a retreating German column of some 15 vehicles appeared in the area and L/Sjt. Hughes' platoon was sent off to intercept it, and was deployed accordingly.

Presently Hughes saw some movement which he took to be men of his platoon, and he went to see what they were doing. On arrival he found himself in the middle of the enemy column. Instead of withdrawing, he opened fire on the dismounted men around him, killing or wounding them. He then started to pick off the drivers of the vehicles and Officer passengers.

He gained such a degree of surprise and retained such control of the situation that a section of his platoon was able to come up and dispose of the remnants of the column. Only one vehicle escaped. By his personal initiative and daring L/Sjt. Hughes achieved or made possible the destruction of some 14 enemy vehicles and the infliction of 50 casualties (20 killed, 15 wounded and 15 captured).