HUGH’S STORY

Hugh was born in on July 13, 1891, to parents Thomas Carr and Mary Ann Carr (nee Davidson). He lived with his parents and brother Walter Frederick Carr in Sunderland Street, Houghton-le-Spring and then in Chilton Moor. He was apprenticed as a mining engineer to Lambton & Hetton Collieries Ltd for seven years, starting in 1905. After the outbreak of war in August 1914, Hugh enlisted in York on October 20 the same year. After training, he joined C Squadron of the Household Calvary 1 st Life Guards as a Trooper (number 3244). In the stalemate of the Western Front, underground warfare, especially the laying of explosive mines below enemy positions, became a key tactic, leading to the formation of specialist tunneling companies that relied on former miners from areas such as County Durham. So Hugh transferred to the Royal Engineers, 172 Tunnelling Company, formed in February 2105, with the rank of Second Lieutenant. Based in the hard-fought Ypres Salient in Belgium, and in cold, dark and dangerous conditions, his work would have involved digging deep defences and communications, planting mines and counter-attacking enemy tunnels. Hugh was seriously wounded when a German shell exploded in a trench positioned in the small French village of St Eloi, 5km south of Ypres, on January 21, 1916. He was transferred by train to a field hospital in Remy Siding, Poperinge, with leg, head and arm injuries. He died of his wounds two days later, aged 25. He was buried in a cemetery next to the hospital. His parents were informed by telegram.