The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (39461) Flight Lieutenant Paterson Clarence Hughes, No. 234 Squadron (RAF), Second World War.

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Sharon Bown, the story for this day was on (39461) Flight Lieutenant Paterson Clarence Hughes, No. 234 Squadron (RAF), Second World War.

39461 Flight Lieutenant Paterson Clarence Hughes, No. 234 Squadron (RAF)
Flying Battle 7 September 1940

Today we remember and pay tribute to Flight Lieutenant Paterson Clarence Hughes.

Paterson Hughes, known as “Pat” was born on 19 September 1917 at Numeralla, near Cooma in New South Wales, the eleventh of twelve children born to Paterson and Caroline Hughes.

After beginning his schooling at Cooma District School, the Hughes family moved to Sydney, where Hughes attended Petersham Boys’ Intermediate and Fort Street Boys’ High schools.

After working briefly as a cost clerk with the jewellers, Saunders Ltd, in January 1936 he joined the Royal Australian Air Force. A year after enlisting, he took a short service commission in the Royal Air Force, and sailed for England.

In July 1937, he joined No. 64 Squadron, which operated Hawker Demon and, later, Bristol Blenheim fighters. While part of the RAF, he refused to exchange his RAAF uniform for that of the RAF.

In November 1939 Hughes was promoted to acting flight lieutenant and posted to No.234 Squadron as a flight commander flying Supermarine Spitfires.

From July 1940 the Royal Air Force fought the Battle of Britain against the German Luftwaffe, which possessed nearly twice the number of aircraft and aircrew as the RAF. Reichsmarschall Herman Goering believed that he could wipe the RAF from the skies in just four weeks.

As British and German aircraft clashed in the skies above England, radar stations and airfields were hit by German Stukas, Dorniers, and Heinkels, while British Hurricanes and Spitfires were set upon by large sweeps of Messerschmitts. In August 1940, German bombers began striking cities and civilian targets, marking the beginning of what became known as the Blitz.

While the vast majority of those who participated in the Battle of Britain were Britons, members from the other Allied countries contributed to the eventual victory over the Luftwaffe. Pilots from New Zealand, Canada, India, South Africa, Rhodesia, Jamaica, and the British Mandate of Palestine all flew aerial operations during the battle, as did French, Belgian, and Czechoslovakian aircrew.

Australians flew combat operations during the Battle of Britain, while others flew during the battle with Bomber Command and Coastal Command. Eight Australians became air aces by shooting down five or more enemy aircraft, and ten were killed in action.

As the Battle of Britain got under way in July 1940, Paterson Hughes shared in No. 234 Squadron’s first confirmed aerial victories

On 8 July he led three Spitfires which shot down a lone Junkers 88. He and his section destroyed another on the 28th.

While temporarily detached to help in organizing No.247 Squadron, he took advantage of the break to marry that day his English fiancée Kathleen Agnes Brodrick in Cornwall.

Returning to his unit, in mid-August Hughes shot down a Messerschmitt and shared in the dispatch of a second. He followed up on the 16th, 18th and 26th, each time destroying two Messerschmitts.

Between mid-August and early September No. 234 Squadron shot down 63 enemy aircraft. Hughes was eventually credited with as many as 17 aerial victories.

An advocate of closing in for a certain kill, his tactics led to his death on 7 September 1940.

During the Luftwaffe’s first heavy raids on London, Hughes crashed after an incident involved a Dornier 17 light bomber. The confusion that surrounded the crash remains unresolved: it is unknown whether he collided with the aircraft, was struck by debris from the exploding bomber, or flew into the firing-line of a Hurricane attacking the same target.

While he managed to bail out, his parachute failed to open and his body was found not far from the wreck of his Spitfire.

Four days after his death No. 234 Squadron was moved to a quieter sector.

Paterson Hughes was buried in St James’s churchyard in Hull.

He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for his “skill and determination” as a flight commander and “gallantry in his attacks on the enemy”. These awards and Hughes’ service medals were donated to the Australian War Memorial in 1990.

Paterson Hughes name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my left, among almost 40,000 Australians who died while serving in the Second World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Flight Lieutenant Paterson Clarence Hughes, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Duncan Beard
Editor, Military History Section