Educated at Waitaki Boys' High School, Hughes was part of the editorial team at the New Zealand Herald from 1933.
[1] He served in the Second World War mainly in the Middle East and North Africa; after being shot down, he was taken prisoner in 1941 by a group of Italian soldiers near Benghazi, although he later turned the tables and took 130 Italians prisoner himself.
19 (Reconnaissance) Group in 1962 and Deputy Controller of Aircraft (RAF) at the Ministry of Aviation in 1964 before becoming Air Officer Commanding Far East Air Force in 1966 and retiring in 1969.
[1] Hughes later advised the Singaporean government on military and civilian aviation matters.
[3] Following the Mount Erebus disaster, he consulted for the commission that was established to investigate the incident.