Llewelyn Hughes


Frederick Llewelyn Hughes was an Anglican priest and British Army chaplain. He served as Chaplain-General from 1944 to 1951 and Dean of Ripon from 1951 to 1967.

Early life

Hughes was born on 12 July 1894 and educated at Christ’s Hospital and Jesus College, Oxford. He matriculated at Oxford in 1913 as an exhibitioner, and was highly regarded as a speaker in the college's Junior Common Room and as a rugby player. In due course, he became President of the JCR and captain of rugby.

Military service

Hughes served in the British Army during World War I. He was commissioned into the King's Regiment on 24 October 1914 as a second lieutenant. On 26 May 1916 the then lieutenant was appointed an Adjutant. He was awarded the Military Cross in 1917. As a captain, he was appointed General Staff Officer on 28 March 1918. He served as a staff captain from 20 December 1918 to 16 May 1919. He relinquished his commission on 1 April 1920 and retained the rank of captain.

Religious career

Hughes was ordained in 1922 and began his career with a curacy at Holy Trinity, Brompton. Subsequently vicar of St Stephen's, Paddington then vicar of Mansfield.
On 18 February 1935, he relinquished his rank of captain to join the Royal Army Chaplains' Department as a Chaplain to the Forces. He was promoted to Chaplain to the Forces on 1 April 1939.
With the outbreak of World War II, Hughes saw active service. He was posted to the Middle East during the first year of the war. By October 1943, he was Chaplain to the Forces, and temporary Chaplain to the Forces. He rose to the rank of Archdeacon of the Forces, the most senior Church of England chaplain. Montgomery described him as "the ideal military padre". He was appointed Chaplain-General to the Forces in 1944. He relinquished the position on 6 November 1951.
In November 1945, he was appointed to the Royal Household as a chaplain. He was appointed Dean of Ripon in August 1951.
He died on 4 June 1967.

Honours and decorations

On 1 April 1941, Hughes was mentioned in dispatches "for distinguished services in the Middle East during the period August, 1939, to November, 1940". He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 14 October 1943 "in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the Middle East". He was made an Honorary Chaplain to King George VI in 1944. He was mentioned in dispatches on 22 March 1945 "in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in North West Europe". He was awarded the Efficiency Decoration on 10 October 1947, for which he was awarded three clasps on 16 February 1951. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath on 9 June 1949 as part of that year's King's Birthday Honours. He was made an Officer of the Venerable Order of Saint John in January 1962.