MEDALS belonging to a Denbigh man who was sent to fight in both the First and Second World War have been sold at auction for more than £2,000.

Captain William Rawson Hughes was once mentioned in the dispatches of Sir Douglas Haig, who commanded British forces on the Western Front during 1914-18, and he would go on to collect a total of nine medals for his services.

The honours, which include a Military Cross, an OBE and a Great War Trio, one of which is a Victory medal, were marked for auction by Fellows Auctioneers at an estimated price of £1,000-£1,500.

Little is known about the life of Mr Hughes life beyond wartime, though an article published by the Free Press in January 4, 1919 referred to him as “our townsman”, which suggests he was a popular figure. The article also stated Mr Hughes was included in Sir Haig’s dispatches “for distinguished and gallant services and devotion to duty” between February and September 1918.

This was a period in which the German army made its infamous Ludendorff Offensive that resulted in more than 860,000 casualties.

Mr Hughes’ medal box, which also included his image, a Battle of the Somme Commemorative medal and three World War II medals, was sold for a hammer price of £2,300 at Augusta House in Birmingham on Monday, September 16.

Alison Jakeway, senior specialist from the silver department at Fellows, said: “Every now and then we have incredible medal groups go under the hammer at Fellows and this is no exception. Capt. Hughes was clearly a distinguished serviceman and it is an honour to auction his medals.

“The medal group sold for way above its estimate which is great to see. Whoever won the lot has got themselves a fantastic piece of military history.”

According to a supplement in the London Gazette, Mr Hughes was awarded the Military Cross in June 1917. He was awarded the OBE in January 1919, ‘For services rendered in connection with military operations in France and Flanders’, as recorded in the 1919 New Year Honours (OBE) List.