Redvers "yosser" Hughes

[yosser]

 Hi everyone!
  my father is Redvers Arnold Hughes, he served in Malaya, & was in the 1st battalion Manchester regiment (A company I think) Ladysmiths Barracks in Arwick, he was a bren-gun opperator. I would be interested in any info/photo's or anyone trying to contact him!
 Cheers Val

[rafboy]

Good evening Val

My father did as well.  Did you travel with your father at all while he was serving?

Take a look at the Photos and Postcards By Battalion pages of the Forum, look at the Far East Photos pages there is at least one with your father in it on the second page.
Cliff

[rafboy]

Hi again Val.  I forgot to say that I am sure George Swetman will be along shortly he served with our fathers.
Cliff

[yosser]

Hi Cliff
  I've just spoken to my Dad to try & get more info from him, but it's difficult as he has bad memories of that time! He went to Ladysmiths Barracks in 1950, but spent some time in wales & Formby. I think he was in the 1st platoon, under a Sgt Bellis. He went to Malaya in 1951 & was there for 2 years, leaving in the Easter, the ship home he was due to catch sank! He mentioned Sarawak & Butterworth & lots of other stuff! He has some lovely photo albums of Penang etc & some photos that used to scare me as a child of various dead bodies etc. I wasn't born when my Dad was in Malaya, but he regularly spoke to us about it all, he can tell some stories, lots of them sad & disturbing! My Dad seemed to have had a rough time of it over there, & suffered from the things he witnessed. I'll have to get him to write down the names of the guys he served with, & anything else I can get him to remember!  I looked at the photo's, but can't see my dad in them, mind you he was only a young skinny thing then, with curly black hair!
  Thanks
    Val

[rafboy]

Hi Val

Your father is in the one below, the mess boy is between him and my mother.  He would have known my father who had been in 1st Bn Manchesters from 1932 untill just before they went to Malaya.  He had transfered to the RAPC but the Army sent him to Malaya with the Manchester's as their pay Sgt.

The Regiment went to Malaya in 1951 and returned to UK in 1954, the Troopship that sank was the Empire Windrush, the next one home to UK which had the Manchester's on it was the Asturias.  I was lucky enough to be there with my parents and went to an Army boarding school in the Cameron Highlands.

There is a very good book available from the Regimental Museum in Ashton Under Lyne writen by Cpt Robbert Bonner entitled Jungle Bashers.  A British Infantry Battalion in the Malayan Emergency 1951 - 1954.  It has lots of photos and is well worth getting hold of a copy.  There is a photo of your father on patrol on page 77 and another with him in a group of WO's and Sgts on page 85.  Robert could well be along with some memories of your father later for you.
Cliff  

[george.theshed197]

Morning Cliff,
Sorry to say that you seem to have connected the wrong Yosser to this thread. The Yosser in your photograph as a Sgt. with that group in the Mess in Penang was in Wuppertal as a L/Cpl in 1949, then onto Berlin and ultimately out to Malaya as a Cpl with the Mortar platoon of SP company, he certainly never served under Sgt Bellis until the latter became RSM of the Bn in Minden/Brentwood.
Sorry pal, wrong un this time. By the way there were also a couple of Bellis's - there was one a Cpl in A company, 3 Platoon with Tony Blackburn and Sgt 'Bill' McClure. (Page 38 - Jungle Bashers) ; I canno t remember for sure which company Sgt Harry Bellis was in in Malaya - the last time I remembered him was in Berlin 1950 as being in HQ, Intelligence section I believe. Later about 1951/2 I think he became C/Sgt B Coy but I could be wrong - 1953 he took over CSM C coy down at Kulim I believe.
Take care,
George.

[george.theshed197]

Good morning Val,
Has your father come up with any names of others in the platoon he joined in A Company, there is a platoon photograph on page 38 of 'The Jungle Bashers' of 3 Platoon A Company and a company photograph ( both taken at Kuala Nerang) but the only names given beneath the latter refer to the Officers and NCO's and is on page 46.
Do any of these names ring a bell with your Dad :-
Joe Blamire; Bill Martin; Jock Hill; Bill Mc Clure; John McCabe
Give him my regards.
George.

[yosser]

Hiya George!
  Thanks for your email. I haven't seen my Dad since last Weds. & when he came round he'd forgotten his specs! His second was Alan Arken (I'll have to get the correct spelling!) I think it would be nice for my Dad to get in touch with some of his old pals as he says no-one can understand what he went through unless they were there! But as he says everyone was known by their nick-names!   My Dad is going to sort through some of his stuff so he can give me more info, I know he has lots of photo's etc, maybe they'll be of some interest to other people too.  His father served in the army too, & his grandfather was in the cavalry in the Boer war ( hence the name Redvers, after Redvers Buller) so maybe I can get more information about these as well! I've been looking for the Jungle Bashers book but had no success yet!
 Cheers!
   Val

[george.theshed197]

Morning Val,
The book 'The Jungle Bashers' could be available at the Museum of the Manchesters at Ashton.
Insofar as your dad getting in touch with old mates, is he a member of the Malayan Veterans Association which we formed back in 1984, they meet up regularly either at the TA Ashton or the TA  Ardwick Green; I also believe that they are having their Annual get together in Ashton  this week 18/19th September held  usually at Ashton Town Hall - the only place I could suggest you contact for more information is the TA Barracks at Ardwick Green  (RHQ(I)) or possible the Museum at Ashton,
Living down in Hampshire as I have been for the past two years now I have lost contact with most of the people up there other than my occasional visits when I try to get along to a Turning of the Leaves at the Regimental Chapel of the Manchester Cathedral -there should be one this Wednesday 17th Sept, get there for about 1230pm or so and there will be several MVA bods there.
Looking forward to hearing more from him and yourself,
Cheers,
George.

[timberman]

Hello Val

This is a link to the order page at the Museum of the Manchester's for the book

Jungle Bashers 
Robert Bonner 
 
A British Infantry Battalion in the Malayan Emergency 1951-1954

An excellent account of what is best described as the Manchester Regimental family at war. Many were carrying out their compulsory National Service and this book describes the hardships and dangers of the Malayan jungle, which they faced with courage and devotion to duty.

A4 Hardback, 80 pages, 111 previously unpublished photographs and illustrations. 

Price is £20.00

http://www.tameside.gov.uk/webapps/shopping/moreinfo.php3?368

Timberman

[timberman]

This is the link to all the publications that the Museum have for sale.

http://www.tameside.gov.uk/museumsgalleries/mom/publications

Timberman