Barnes H C Captain MC 2nd Royal Sussex Regiment
BARNES, HUGH CYRIL, M.C., Capt., 2nd Battn. (107th Foot) The Royal Sussex Regt., yst. s. of Joseph Howard Barnes, of Gladsmuir, Muswell Avenue, F.I.A., by his wife, Minnie, dau. of W. J. Harman; b. Hornsey, N., 21 Sept. 1896; educ. Stationers’ Company’s School; was on the staff of the Sun Fire Office; joined the Honourable Artillery Company in Jan. 1914; served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from the following Dec. was gazetted 2nd Lieut. 2nd Royal Sussex Regt. in Aug. 1915; was wounded at the Battle of Loos in Sept. 1915; returned to France in Aug. 1916; appointed Brigade Intelligence Officer in Nov.; promoted Capt. and given command of the 2nd Trench Mortar Battery in March, 1918, and was killed in action at Givenchy-lez-La Bassée 21 July following.
Brigadier-General Kelly, Commanding 2nd Brigade, wrote: “His loss to me is tremendous. I had the very highest opinion of him as a trench-mortar officer, and I can truthfully state that in all my experience I have never known a trench-mortar officer so scientific in his ways, or so skilful in the handling of his weapon. I also had the greatest admiration for his character, and always felt I could place implicit trust in him in any situation. His gallantry was well known throughout the brigade, and he was a universal favourite. My staff captain tells me he has already sent you a copy of the letter I sent to his battery when he was killed, which will, I think, show you the very high esteem in which I held him both as an officer and as a friend,” and Brigade Staff Capt. A. W. Ferguson: “A more fearless soldier I have never known. His heart and soul were wrapped in his command, who responded to his wonderful leadership by absolute devotion. I have spoken with some of the men of his battery, who are deeply mourning his loss, and one told me that Hugh was killed where he knew that the danger would be greatest; he never asked a man to do that which he had not first done himself,” and Capt. Albany Renton, C.F., wrote: “He was a young man of very great promise, hard-working, capable and extremely painstaking, and conscientious in the performance of his duties, and would, I believe, if he had been spared, have gone far in his profession. I know that he was very highly esteemed throughout the brigade and especially at Headquarters.”
He was awarded the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during the Battle of Nieuport 10 July, 1917. The Gazette stated that at a time when most of the communications had been severed, he remained at his post under heavy fire of shells of all calibre, rendering clear and precise reports which were of the greatest value to our artillery; he showed the utmost gallantry and coolness in an extremely trying situation. Capt. Barnes made his mark at school in study and in sport; was captain of the football team; won the Challenge Cup in 1913 for the long dive; took a leading part in the school photography and other special work, and became captain of the school in 1913: unm.
Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 5