Page 213 - Rifles 2017 Issue No 3

Obituaries
Frederick Thomas Hughes was born in 1931 at the family home in Upper Fore Street, Bodmin. After leaving school he was apprenticed to a local stone- mason, and, because apprentices were given dispensation to delay their National Service, did not enlist until 1953. Being older and more mature than most of his fellow recruits, he was sent on a NCOs course at Strensall after his depot training at Bodmin, joining the 1st Battalion DCLI at Minden as a Lance Corporal. There followed an idyllic tour of duty in Jamaica as a Corporal with the Mortar Platoon.
After demob in 1955 he re-enlisted in the TA serving with the company based at Castle Canyke in Bodmin. Two years later he married Joyce, a very happy partnership which was to last until her death in 2015. After their marriage he bought a sizeable plot of land on St Mary’s Road where he
Derry Rawlings MM was born in Lamellian near Liskeard on 7th October 1933, where his father Reg worked in the local woollen mill. However, shortly before the war the family moved to Plymouth where Reg had found employment on the Torpoint Ferry.
Having been bombed out of their Plymouth home no less than three times,
the family returned to Cornwall brie y
before moving to Weston-Super-Mare.
The Luftwaffe must have had it in for
the Rawlings, for once again they found themselves homeless courtesy of German bombs. It sound extraordinary in this age when we expect the comforts of the welfare state to be instantly available, but, after this fourth bombing the family was moved to a camping ground at Banwell where there was timber and other basic materials and were invited to build their own shelter. This Derry remembers was the happiest time of his life!
Derry was always a cheerful, mischievous young boy who not infrequently missed school to play in the woods with his friends. He had a good voice and sang in Wells Cathedral choir for a time. Having left school, he took work as a farm labourer. He loved the land and the open-air life; hard work suited him making him strong and t.
Derry was called up for his National Service in 1952, enlisting in the DCLI. The 1st Battalion was stationed at Minden, but for reasons doubtless known to some shadowy staff of cer in the depths of the War Of ce he was posted to Hong Kong to be attached to a battalion of Gurkha Ri es. In the short period of his attachment he developed a lasting love and admiration for Gurkhas. However, all too soon he was posted with as part of a reinforcement draft to the 1st Durham Light Infantry in Korea. There he found himself one of the ‘One and All Club’, a platoon of 40 DCLI soldiers in Johnny Tresawna’s Company.
On the night of 23/24th June 1953, Derry, then still a Private, was detailed to take part in an ambush patrol. He and a Katcom (Korean attached Commonwealth Division) provided the centre part of the ambush.
build a bungalow – Joyce manhandling the concrete blocks and pushing wheelbarrow loads of sand.
Fred was a founder member of the Bodmin Branch of the DCLI Regimental Association. A born leader, never content to sit back and see others do the work, he became one of a select band who were always involved in all Branch activities. He and his close friends became familiar faces at The Keep where they freely used their several skills in maintenance work. Although he carried on as best
he could, the death of his beloved Joyce in 2015 affected him very strongly. His death in 2016 at the age of eighty- ve leaves a sad gap. We will always remember his cheerfulness, his willingness to help others, his skill as a tradesman and his unshakeable pride and loyalty to the DCLI.
The citation reads:
“On the rst re ght with the enemy the Katcom was severely wounded in the stomach by enemy re. Private Rawlings continued ring by the side of the wounded man until his party was ordered to withdraw. He then carried him back towards Surrey Hills. However, on the way they were attacked by a small enemy party and Rawlings was blown over by a percussion grenade. Although badly shaken, he again shouldered his comrade and continued to withdraw. Shortly after-
wards he came upon Private Cotton, who was wounded about the legs, and told him to hold onto his belt. They continued on their way towards the Surrey Hills when a single Chinaman attempted to waylay them. Rawlings killed him with his Sten-gun and continued back to the main position. On passing through Surrey Hills he noticed one wounded man there, so as soon as he had handed his two wounded companions over to the stretcher bearers at the main position, he returned to Surrey Hills and carried the third wounded man back to his Company area. He himself then collapsed and was evacuated with concussion. It should be pointed out that the whole area was subjected to very heavy mortar re from the time of the second re ght onwards. Private Rawlings displayed tremendous courage and self-sacri ce throughout the action. Had it not been for his own individual efforts it is doubtful if the Katcom or Private Cotton would have reached medical aid.”
On completing his National Service, Derry initially worked in the building trade with Fosters and Bensons of Bristol. Later he moved to Clarks of Street with whom he remained for the next twenty- ve years. Finally, after retirement, he was appointed caretaker of Worle Primary School. He married Barbara in 1957, who predeceased him after fty-one happy years. There were three children – Phillip, who was diagnosed with Downs Syndrome and who sadly died at the age of nineteen, Wendy and Tracy to whom we extend our sincere sympathy.
A BORN LEADER, NEVER CONTENT TO SIT BACK AND SEE OTHERS DO THE WORK
HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR HIS OWN INDIVIDUAL EFFORTS IT IS DOUBTFUL IF THE KATCOM OR PRIVATE COTTON WOULD HAVE REACHED MEDICAL AID.”
THE RIFLES
REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS 211