Matthew Hughes VC (c. 1822 – 9 January 1882) was an

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recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to

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and

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forces. Hughes was approximately 33 years old and a

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in 7th Regiment of Foot (now

The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (often referred to as, "The Fusiliers") is an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Queen's Division. Currently, the regiment has two battalions: the 1st Battalion, part of the Regular Army, is an ar ...

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when, during the

Crimean War The Crimean War was fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the Ottoman Empire, the Second French Empire, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Kingdom of Sardinia (1720–1861), Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont fro ...

, he performed the acts that saw him recommended for the VC. The full citation was in the first set of awards of the VC published in the ''

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'' on 24 February 1857, and read: Private Mathew Hughes, 7th Royal Fusiliers, was noticed by Colonel Campbell, 90th Light Infantry, on the 7th June, 1855, at the storming of the Quarries, for twice going for ammunition, under a heavy fire, across the open ground; he also went to the front, and brought in Private John Hampton, who was lying severely wounded; and on the 18th June, 1855, he volunteered to bring in Lieutenant Hobson, 7th Royal Fusiliers, who was lying severely wounded, and, in the act of doing so, was severely wounded himself. Hughes achieved the rank of

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that same year, but was later demoted.

Medal

His Victoria Cross is on display at the

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in the Royal Fusiliers Museum.

References

Location of grave and VC medal
''(West Yorkshire)'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Hughes, Matthew 1820s births 1882 deaths Military personnel from Bradford Royal Fusiliers soldiers British Army personnel of the Crimean War Crimean War recipients of the Victoria Cross British recipients of the Victoria Cross British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross Burials in West Yorkshire