Kim Hughes (GC)
Encyclopedia
Warrant Officer Class 2 Kim Spencer Hughes GC
(born 1979) is a British Army
bomb disposal expert (Ammunition Technician
) who was awarded the George Cross
as a Staff Sergeant
for gallant acts carried out in the Afghanistan conflict
. Hughes made safe over 80 improvised explosive device
s on his tour of Afghanistan. The citation was presented to Hughes by the Chief of the Defence Staff
Sir Jock Stirrup
on 18 March 2010 in a ceremony in the City of London. The posthumous award of the GC to Staff Sergeant Olaf Schmid
was announced at the same time. The awarded was gazetted
on 19 March 2010.
His citation states that he carried out "the single most outstanding act of explosive ordnance disposal ever recorded in Afghanistan".
Hughes was born in Germany, where his father was serving in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
, and returned to England in 1985. He lived in Weston-super-Mare
until 1988 when he moved to Telford
.
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
(born 1979) is a British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
bomb disposal expert (Ammunition Technician
Ammunition Technician
An Ammunition Technician is a British Army soldier trained to inspect, repair, test and store, and modify all ammunition and explosives used by the British Army...
) who was awarded the George Cross
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
as a Staff Sergeant
Staff Sergeant
Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in several countries.The origin of the name is that they were part of the staff of a British army regiment and paid at that level rather than as a member of a battalion or company.-Australia:...
for gallant acts carried out in the Afghanistan conflict
War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...
. Hughes made safe over 80 improvised explosive device
Improvised explosive device
An improvised explosive device , also known as a roadside bomb, is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action...
s on his tour of Afghanistan. The citation was presented to Hughes by the Chief of the Defence Staff
Chief of the Defence Staff
The Chief of the Defence Staff can refer to:*Chief of the Defence Force *Chief of the Defence Staff *Chief of the Defence Staff *Chief of the Defence Staff...
Sir Jock Stirrup
Jock Stirrup
Air Chief Marshal Graham Eric "Jock" Stirrup, Baron Stirrup, GCB, AFC, FRAeS, FCMI, RAF, is a former senior Royal Air Force commander, who was the Chief of the Defence Staff from 2006 until his retirement in late 2010. He is also a Crossbench member of the House of Lords.As a junior RAF officer,...
on 18 March 2010 in a ceremony in the City of London. The posthumous award of the GC to Staff Sergeant Olaf Schmid
Olaf Schmid
Staff Sergeant Olaf Sean George Schmid GC was a British Army bomb disposal expert who was killed in action in the Afghanistan conflict. Schmid was posthumously awarded the George Cross after he made safe 70 devices before his death in October 2009...
was announced at the same time. The awarded was gazetted
London Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
on 19 March 2010.
His citation states that he carried out "the single most outstanding act of explosive ordnance disposal ever recorded in Afghanistan".
Hughes was born in Germany, where his father was serving in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
The Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers is a corps of the British Army that has responsibility for the maintenance, servicing and inspection of almost every electrical and mechanical piece of equipment within the British Army from Challenger II main battle tanks and WAH64 Apache...
, and returned to England in 1985. He lived in Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare is a seaside resort, town and civil parish in the unitary authority of North Somerset, which is within the ceremonial county of Somerset, England. It is located on the Bristol Channel coast, south west of Bristol, spanning the coast between the bounding high ground of Worlebury...
until 1988 when he moved to Telford
Telford
Telford is a large new town in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England, approximately east of Shrewsbury, and west of Birmingham...
.