Oliver Hughes, born in Llanelli in 1896, initially joined the army when war broke out but, so the family story goes, was given the option of joining the Royal Navy before the troops were sent to France, and took it. He was present at the Battle of Jutland - his wife used to say that when he returned from leave after the battle he spent three weeks hiding under the bed. When the time came for him to return to duty, he took the train as far as Birmingham, but then returned to Llanelli and remained there until the military police turned up at his home to ensure he returned. He served in the Royal Navy until July 1919.