Percy’s occupation and marital status on enlistment was detailed as a labourer, who was single.
- Date of Birth – 23 October 18931NSW Birth Death and Marriages, https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/ Birth 40316/1893, Hush Percy, Parents Ralph and Susan, Registered in Young. Accessed 23 March 2024.
- Parents – Father Ralph Hush deceased, Mother Mrs Susan Hughes, Redbank, Araluen2Commonwealth War Graves, https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/165248/percy-alfred-hush/ Accessed 23 March 2024.
- Enlisted at Cootamundra on 19 February 1916 and embarked from Sydney, on board HMAT A37 Barambah on 23 June 19163University of NSW AIF project https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=147989. Accessed 24 March 2024.
- Regimental Number – 19244National Archives of Australia. https://www.naa.gov.au/. NAA: B2455, Hush Percy Alfred, Item ID – 6928251, Accessed 23 March 2024.
- Aged at embarkation – Given as 24 years and 4 months
- Military service – 56th Battalion, 3rd Reinforcement. 35th Australian Infantry Battalion. Rank – Private. Served at the Western Front and was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
- Killed in action – 29 May 1917 (aged [24] 22 years on cemetery records)5 Australian War Memorial, https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P10246875 Accessed 23 March 2024.Virtual War Memorial Australia, https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/347992 Accessed 23 March 2024.
- Buried – Strand Military Cemetery, Belgium.6Find a Grave.com. Panel 125, on a monument at the Australian War Memorial, Campbell. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/249806072/percy-alfred-hush and https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/12733744/percy-alfred-hush. Accessed 23 March 2024.
Percy was the youngest son of Ralph Hush Jnr (1843-1896) and Susan Stephens (1852-1931) who had eleven children – Emma; Annie; Ada; Edith; Joseph John; William; Ralph; Thomas; Ethel; James and Percy. Susan next married Owen Hughes (1859-1929) in 1901, who came to Araluen when the gold dredging began.
Percy’s older brother Thomas Hush, was killed in action on 18 November 1917 while serving with the 9th Machine Gun Company and has no known grave. Thomas’ name appears on Panel 31, Menin Gate, Ypres.7Virtual War Memorial Australia, https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/205515. Accessed 23 March 2024 Percy’s other brother, Joseph John Hush (1882-1939) returned to Australia 9 August 1919, having served with the 55th Battalion.8Virtual War Memorial Australia, https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/167401. Accessed 9 April 2024.
The Goulburn Evening Penny Post9Goulburn Evening Penny Post (NSW : 1881-1940), Tuesday 19 June 1917, p 4. reported in June 1917 ‘Pte. Percy Alfred Hush, of Araluen has been killed in action at the front. He was 23 years of age. Two brothers of [the] deceased–Ptes. J. J. Hush, and Thomas Hush -are at the front.’
The Sydney Morning Herald10Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842-1954), Saturday 23 June 1917, p 12. published notices detailing
- ‘HUSH.-Killed in Action in France, May 29, 1917, Private Percy A. Hush, beloved son and stepson of S. and O[Owen]. E. Hughes, of Araluen. A noble soldier and a faithful son.
- HUSH.-Killed in action In France, May 29, 1917, Private Percy A. Hush, beloved brother of Emma [McNeil], Ada [Hobby] and Gert [Ethel May Strudwick]. A young life nobly ended.’