Signalman Daniel Brendan McHugh, Royal New Zealand Navy, Sig. #2397NZD, ex “HMS Tenedos” is listed on the NZ Navy Devonport memorial (and CWGC) as dying on 31.3.42 with no other details – on the other hand CWGC records shows that he was the only Navy Signalman who died in 1942 and was also a New Zealander, so looking at the facts it is certain that he is the same person as the ‘McCue’ mentioned in the testimony of A/S Richardson. Information from the NZ Navy Museum, Auckland, confirms that Daniel McHugh was a Signalman rating from Auckland, NZ, and joined the NZ Division of the Royal Navy on 7 March 1941, posted to ‘HMS. Sultan’ (the Royal Navy shore base in Singapore) on 22 July 1941 and, apart from brief attachment to the crew of Royal Navy warships ‘Mauritius’ and ‘Tenedos’ was officially there until the just before Fall of Singapore when his Navy record card shows simply the word” Run” (NZ Navy Museum) - which is an erroneous implication of desertion. However, it is more correct to record that, as a New Zealander like the three officers assembled for the “Tandjong Pinang”, and like other sailors then at a loose end at the shore based “HMS Sultan” in Singapore, he in fact had joined or been assigned to the crew of Lt. Basil Shaw on the ‘SS Tandjong Pinang’ prior to 13.2.42 when it departed Singapore heading to Batavia. Daniel’s death should be more correctly recorded as on 22.2.42 based on the following first-hand accounts. In the typewritten statement by survivor Able Seaman J. Richardson (ex ‘HMS Prince of Wales’) he states that during their time drifting at sea after the sinking of the ‘SS Tandjong Pinang’ “Wednesday 19thFebruary … next came my raft with the signalman and myself, both of us were wounded; one of the signalman’s feet was hanging off. He could not paddle. The nurses and the baby were on the other raft … the baby died on the third day … About the fifth day we could see seagulls flying around us and we smelt land … I was alone with the signalman. The signalman died that night. I was alone …”. Aligned with this account is that of Able Leading Seaman Robert W. Archer (who died in Palembang POW camp after making this record) “… At midday 18/19 we picked up the signalman, badly wounded in the foot and the stomach and about six nurses all on one raft …On the afternoon of 20th February we decided to leave A.B. Richardson and the signalman (as stated by A.B. Richardson…”. ) Archer also attached to his statement a schedule listing the ship’s company known to him which includes the record “… Sig. McCue (New Zealand) …”. Back home the ‘Auckland Star’ on 16 April 1942 was the first public record of Daniel McHugh as ‘Missing’ (Auckland Star, 16.4.42) and it recorded him as the son of “… Mrs. M. C. McHugh, Auckland (mother) …”. Later in 1942 the ‘Auckland Star (31.8.42) has the following item “… Signalman Daniel Brendan McHugh, aged 19, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. D. A. McHugh, Long Drive, St Helier’s who had been reported missing. Signalman McHugh was educated at Sacred Heart College and took a keen interest in all sports whilst at school. He was employed on the clerical staff of the Auckland Hospital prior to his enlistment in the navy in March 1941. He comes from a seafaring family, as several uncles captained sailing ships, and he has many relations now serving in the Royal Navy and the Merchant Navy …”. A photo with the caption “… Signalman D. B. McHugh, of Auckland, reported missing on active service…” also appeared in the ‘New Zealand Herald’ newspaper on 3.9.42 and shows a young man in naval uniform looking into the camera in a positive and happy manner. Daniel Brendan McHugh was born in Dublin, Ireland on 21 April 1922 and lived with his mother - Mrs. Mary Clare McHugh - at 89 Long Drive, St Heliers, Auckland, NZ at the time of his enlistment. He had attended Sacred Heart College in Auckland and, after a brief period as deckhand on ‘RMMS Aorangi’, worked in the clerical staff of the Auckland Hospital Board. Aged 18 years, he was five feet seven in height, with blue eyes and brown hair. It is worth noting that Signalman Daniel Brendan (known as ‘DB’ to his family) McHugh had been born in Ireland to Irish parents and therefore as a ‘Neutral’ had no duty to enlist in the war but was insistent on joining the Royal New Zealand Navy against the wishes of his mother (conversation with Jean McHugh, sister-in-law, 20 .6.17). He is recorded here as one of New Zealand’s young, brave but unsung heroes of the Second World War and to help redress any previous slight on his memory because of historic RNZN records that cast doubt upon the circumstances of his departure from Singapore. [Michael Pether, New Zealanders who died in Second World War -in the region of Singapore, Malaya, Dutch East Indies, and Burma/Thailand]
