Revd Ivon Linton, Army

I worked with Hughie when I was Chaplain to 1 R IRISH from Sept 16 to Sept 18. During this time he was firstly Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant, then Regimental Sergeant Major for the battalion. For me two things stood out about Hughie Benson. Firstly his leadership ability; he is a natural leader and was respected by absolutely everyone in the battalion from the most junior soldier to the Commanding Officer. His hard earned operational experience and strong but fair personality meant that others naturally turned to him for advice and guidance, which was always listened to. Secondly, his natural ability to empathize with the soldiers in his charge. Having served at every rank in the battalion Hughie understood the pressures faced by many of the junior soldiers. He was always a listening ear ready to give solid help and direction to young men who needed a strong character to set them on a proper course in their careers, and indeed their lives in general.

Do you have a story that adds: Yes. In early 2018 the Commanding Officer identified a trend of disciplinary issues amongst a group of soldiers in the battalion. He asked Hughie and myself to deal with the matter. Mr Benson and I discussed the issue, and it was obvious to me that he had a firm grasp on the individuals involved, and what the causes of some of these problems may have been. Notably, as Regimental Sergeant Major, Hughie could have dealt with this matter in a draconian disciplinary fashion. Instead he proposed that we bring this group of soldiers together and talk to them. Which is what we did, and I personally witnessed a group of men open up to their Regimental Sergeant Major about some of the issues they were themselves facing. The trust that existed between these soldiers and Hughie was obvious, and having listened to them he came up with a number of proposals to deal with some of the matters raised. I felt that this was an excellent example of Hughie's wise head, his people skills, and his desire to get the best out of those he was working with. Notably, the disciplinary issues with that group ceased after Hughie took this approach. Had this matter been approached differently, I am sure that the outcome would not have been as satisfactory.