A memorial plaque has been unveiled in Wybunbury to honour pilot Richard Pryce Hughes on the 80th anniversary of his final operational flight, writes Jonathan White.
A short commemorative film about Richard was also shown to the audience.
The framed memorial plaque is fitted to a wall at the Red Lion pub in the village.
It features Royal Canadian Air Force Pilot’s Wings embroidered patch badge, his rank, full name, squadron, birth date, death date, photograph of a Handley Page Halifax Mk.II of No.10 Squadron, photograph of Pilot Officer Richard Pryce Hughes after gaining his wings in 1941, four military campaign medals, and information about Richard’s life and the cause of his courageous death.
There was a short service at his graveside across the road at St Chad’s Church, Wrinehill Road churchyard.
It included the bugle playing of the Last Post, a one-minute silence, Reveille, and the laying of a wreath and flowers.
Four members of Richard’s family attended – David Spear (great nephew), Neil Carter (nephew), Malcolm Carter (great nephew) and granddaughter Dawn Hughes who travelled from Buenos Aires in Argentina for the ceremony.
A 20-page booklet written by local historian Mark A Potts, to commemorate the life of Richard Pryce Hughes, was presented to family members.
Event organiser Russell Ellison-Jones thanked those involved in setting up the memorial plaque.
They included Derek Inskeep, who first investigated the story, and Kirsty and Danny from the Red Lion for allowing the plaque to be setup within sight of Richard’s grave.
It also included the Wybunbury All Stars football players, Nantwich Town FC Manager Dave Cooke and his players, charity football match referee Des Evans, and Wayne Griffin of Nantwich Collectables for putting together the memorial plaque.
Also local historian Mark A Potts, Mike Brookes garden services for cleaning the grave and donating the flowers, Wybunbury Parish Council for paying for the wreath, bugler Graham Malam, and Steve Day who gave RAF related stories at the ceremony.
The £500 for the memorial plaque was raised by a fundraising football game on Wybunbury Playing Fields when Wybunbury All Stars played Nantwich Town FC.
Richard Pryce Hughes, from Shavington, was a Pilot Officer with 10th Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve attached to the Royal Canadian Air Force.
On the night of April 14 1942, he was Captain of a Halifax Mk II bomber, registration No 9492, call sign Zulu Alpha-Gulf.
With similar aircraft from 10 Squadron RAF based at RAF Leeming in Yorkshire, the squadron was returning from operations over Ruhr in Germany.
Having spent a long time searching for his target the Halifax ran out of fuel on the return flight over Liss/Liss Forest in Hampshire.
While the aircraft had sufficient height, the captain immediately ordered the crew of six to bail out, which they did successfully.
Pilot Officer Hughes then tried to make an emergency landing, but lost control and at 04.55hrs on the 15th Halifax call sign Zulu Alpha-Gulf spiralled to the ground from 7,000ft avoiding Liss/Liss Forest.
Pilot Officer Hughes’ body was returned to Wybunbury and was buried four days after the crash on April 18 1942 at St Chad’s Church (Wrinehill Road churchyard) with full military honours.
His cousin George, who flew Mosquitoes with the RAF was killed in the same year, and is buried in Jutland, Denmark.
Pilot Officer Hughes was 35 when he died.
He was married at the Truro registration district in Cornwall in 1932 to Jane Elizabeth Gillian Hughes nee James, of Grampound, Cornwall.
Pilot Officer Hughes was the son of Pryce Edward and Ethel Bessie Hughes of Gresty Lodge, Gresty.
His parents were merchant farmers.
A representative from the Wybunbury World War Group said: “It was a real honour to tell Richard’s story and honour his heroic deeds with a plaque within sight of his grave.
“It was also special to meet members of Richard’s family, and to see their reaction during the short commemorative film we played just prior to the unveiling, made all the hard work all worthwhile.”
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