Today, on Armistice Day, the Victoria Cross medal awarded to a Monaghan man for bravery during the Battle of the Somme, goes on display at Monaghan County Museum. World War One officially ended on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918.
Thomas Hughes was born in Castleblayney but enlisted as a private in the Connaught Rangers. On September 3rd 1916 at Guillemot in France, Private Hughes was wounded in an attack but returned to the firing line straight after he had his wounds dressed. Later, when he spotted a hostile machine-gun he ran out in front of his company. shot the enemy gunner and single-handedly captured the gun and at least three prisoners. He was invalided out of the army, moved back to Monaghan and ran a farm but suffered spells in the workhouse.
The Victoria Cross awarded to Corporal Hughes has been held the National Army Museum in Chelsea. Until today. It is the highest award for bravery that the British armed forces present and Thomas Hughes' medal is now on display at the Monaghan County Museum in the new Peace Campus. Curator Liam Bradley says receiving the medal back on this day is fitting to Hughes' bravery:
For its size, County Monaghan punches above its weight in Victoria Cross (VC) recipients, with four known Victoria Crosses associated with people connected to the County. There have been 1,355 individuals awarded with it worldwide, 190 of which went to Irish servicemen.
The Victoria Cross is a gallantry award that was first awarded by Queen Victoria to members of the British forces. The aim of the medal was to recognise individual acts irrespective of rank, length of service, wounds or any other qualities except for 'conspicuous bravery'
The events of the Easter Rising of 1916 had radically changed the public's view of Irish men who fought in the British army and Private Thomas Hughes found himself on the wrong side of history. He died on the 4th of January 1942 and is buried in Broomfield, Co. Monaghan.
Monaghan County Museum is open Mon-Fri, 11am-5pm, and Saturdays, 12pm-5pm. Admission is free of charge. To find out more, visit monaghan.ie/Museum or find Monaghan County Museum on Facebook.
