Hugh was born in Beckenham, Kent on 18th February 1934. An only child, his parents had immigrated from Jamaica where the family business had been a banana plantation. Hugh was called up for National Service on 18th July 1952 and served in the Royal Artillery. He was subsequently commissioned into the Royal Pioneer Corps in which he served in Cyprus, Germany (where he married), and Aden. Hugh also served in the Singapore Guard Regiment and with the Ghurkhas in Borneo in 1964 - earning him his MBE for his ‘leadership, initiative and hard work over a long period’.
In September 1973 Hugh joined SAF, as the Officers’ Mess Manager Thumrait garrison. There followed a succession of Quartermaster appointments, 2nd Regt SOA then 1st Regt SOA. Hugh moved from Dhofar to Northern Oman becoming Quartermaster to the Signals Regiment, then Force Base Hospital at Muaskar al Murtafa’a. He finally left in November 1993 after twenty years’ service in the Sultanate. Hugh was an intrepid explorer of Oman and active member of the Hash House Harriers. Hugh’s third wife Pat was killed in a car crash in 1992.
He retired to Seaford. Maintaining his lifelong interest and passion for tall ships he joined the Ocean Youth Sailing Trust South - a charity which helps teach young people to sail. He also qualified as a coastal skipper. In 2015 Hugh’s health began to fail and he moved into a nursing home. In June 2018 he developed pneumonia and died on 21 July 2018 in Eastbourne District Hospital Seaford. Throughout he was cared for by his step-daughter Katie.
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