It’s not all that unusual for families to have a tradition of service in the military.
One frequently hears of sons and daughters following in the footsteps of parents or even grandparents who have donned the uniform of some branch of the armed forces and have, at times, even sacrificed their lives in service to their country.
In the case of Rod Hughes, however, that family tradition goes far beyond the average: Hughes, distinctly, is the fourth generation of his family to have served his country.
"I was 38 years in the navy, same as my dad and the same as my grandfather,” said Hughes. “We were all lifers I guess.”
“I started out in the naval reserve as a naval warfare officer and worked my way up during the Cold War,” recalled Hughes. “We moved around a lot … changed towns a lot… and saw a lot of the world.”
Hughes retired as a senior officer at the rank of commander – a significant achievement for any navy man.
But that high standard seems to be the norm for the Hughes family. His father, William Andrew Hughes, was in the third class at Royal Roads and retired as rear admiral. He joined in 1944 and served on no less than 10 RCN ships, five ships in the Royal Navy and one submarine. He was also aboard HMCS Sioux during the Korean War.
Admiral Hughes was, in turn, the son of LCol. L.M. Hughes, of the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery.
“My grandfather served throughout WWI. He was a gunner in the artillery, and, like my father, he died relatively young, and their deaths were both attributed to their military service,” said Hughes.
Going back even further, Hughes’ great grandfather, James Hughes, was the first generation of the family to be born in Canada and was a member of the 90th Winnipeg Rifles sent to put down the North-West Rebellion.
“He rose up to take the 21st battalion to fight in the First World War with the 10th Canadian Infantry Brigade. He rose to the rank of brigadier general and when he returned to Canada he took a senior position as commissioner for the federal government. His brother Sam, was made the minister of the army.”
Hughes, though, may be the last in his direct family to serve. His two adult daughters and six grandchildren have not joined, although several other extended family members have carried on the military tradition.
“I think that, in all fairness, we haven’t had any rapid military expansion through a big war or conflict in recent times and the military seems to have declined in people’s consciousness. I think that may be a mistake as our freedom depends on our readiness to defend our way of life,” said Hughes.
“I’m very proud of the service that my family has provided to our country.”
In retirement, Hughes continues his service as the president of the South Vancouver Housing Society, an organization that, in part, helps to provide housing for veterans.
