Peter Wise and Brenda McMahon have submitted the following:-
William (known as Willie) was born at Barnard Castle in 1897 the son of William and Sarah Mary who ran a toy dealers shop at 3 Galgate, Barnard Castle.
The 1901 census shows Willie’s father working as a railway parcels use foreman and a shopkeeper (tobacco and toys). There is no sign of a wife on this census William senior is shown as a widower with his niece, Isabella Beattie, acting as housekeeper. Also living at the home is older sister, Elsie, and of course Willie.
By 1911 Willie’s life has changed. His father married Sarah Mary Dixon in 1902 at Guisborough but whether she was Willie’s mother or stepmother is difficult to determine.
By this time Willie was working as a draper’s assistant. His sister Elsie was a tobacconist (possibly in her father’s shop) and the new addition to the family was Dora who was born in 1904. Father William was now a farmer on his own account.
Prior to enlistment at Bishop Auckland Willie had been apprenticed to a draper.
He originally served with the Army Service Corps as service number R/4/063284 then later having transferred to the Royal Inniskillings his number changed to 30795.
In 1917 he was admitted to St Edward’s Hospital, London suffering from a gun short wound to the back. He was described as a ‘gallant young soldier’ who was highly respected in Barnard Castle.
He had been on his third tour of duty in France when he was killed by shell fire. Previously he had taken part in the great battle of Messines Ridge.
Rev Edwin Fleming, Chaplain to the Royal Inniskillings notifying William’s parents of his death due to shell fire on 15/05/1918 wrote :-
“Though rejected on medical grounds 2 or 3 successive attempts to join the army he succeeded at length in entering into His Majesty’s Forces. He left Barnard Castle for the third time for France having been already wounded on 23rd of last March. He was injured at Messines Ridge in the great sapping triumph of the British Army and has fought like a courageous soldier during the whole campaign.”
William Hodgson is remembered at Barnard Castle on B135.02, B135.23 and B135.25
