Category Archives: Army

Horace John Hodges

Alfred Sutton School War Memorial, Army, Berkshire Yeomanry

Horace John Hodges
Trooper 50109
Berkshire Yeomanry and Imperial Camel Corps

Hodges HJ photo

 Horace John Hodges was the son  of John Henry and Alice Mary Hodges 95 De Beauvoir Road.  He joined the Berkshire Yeomanry in 1912 and was killed in action on 1st May 1918 aged 23.    In spite of the intimation that his body had been found he had no known grave and is commemorated on the Jerusalem Memorial panel 7.

Casualty Record Detail

 

An article, reproduced below, was published in the Reading Chronicle 26th June 1918.

Signaller’s Death 

Mr Hodges of 95, De Beauvoir road, Reading, has received the sad intelligence that his son Horace, who was a signaller, was killed in action on the banks of the Jordan on May 1st.  His Lieutenant writes that owing to the corps having to yield ground at the time the deceased was left where he fell with three or four others but on going over the ground again that night graves were found, the deceased no doubt being one of them.  The lieutenant added “he and all the boys had done well that morning, carrying out their duties and disregarding personal danger.  Signaller J. T. Rhodes, a Reading lad, who was formerly under Mr. W. J. Hodges in the Spring Gardens Band, writes: ”We were called out at midnight and had to march all night.  We had to  advance over the hills.  When we got in close contact with the enemy it was awful – absolutely raining bullets.  Poor Horace laid down and only fired one shot before he was hit, a bullet penetrating his heart.  His loss is deeply regretted by all his friends.”  Signaller Hodges joined the Berkshire Yeomanry six years ago, when he was 17 years of age, and arrived in Egypt with the first contingent on April 22nd 1915, the anniversary of his birth.  He had been in Egypt continually since that time, not having taken any leave.  He did not take part in the Gallipoli* fighting, as he was suffering from poisoning at the time, but he went through the Arab campaign, having been transferred to the Imperial Camel Corps, and has been in much sever fighting since his last letter, which has recently arrived telling of hardships and difficulties of the fighting in the Palestine hills.  He was 23.

 * When he recovered from his illness he was put in charge of the horses in Cairo.

James William Hewitt

Alfred Sutton School War Memorial, Army, Other Regiments, Passchendaele

Private 31858 “A” Company
6th Battalion Wiltshire Regiment

Hewett JW photo

James Hewett (known as Jim) was aged 19 years when he died of wounds on 18th November 1917.   His unit , part of the 19th Division, had fought from early June in the Battle of Messines until 10 November 1917 during the Second Battle of Passchendael. At that point the 19th Division was withdrawn and not involved in any furthr fighting until the following spring.  It is not know when James Hewitt received his injuries or their extent. He died in Abbeville where there were three hospitals and he is buried at Abbeville Communal Cemetery Extension, location III.E.7.  The Extension was started during July 1916. Abbeville was for most of the war the headquarters of the British Lines of Communication.

 His parents Mr and Mrs J. Hewett lived at 65 Grange Avenue.  An In Memoriam November 15th 1919 refers to mother, father, brothers and sisters.

William Thomas Herbert

Army, Commemorated name/s, Passchendaele, Royal Berkshire Regiment

William Thomas Herbert
Private 22047
2nd Royal Berkshire Regiment

 Division 7

Herbert WTphoto

William Thomas Herbert is remembered on the family grave. The Berkshire Family History Society classification number is 7110.  He was the son of William and Jane Maria Herbert.  The 1911 census indicates that he was a labourer in the brewery. His mother had been a widow for more than ten years, her occupation is given as charwoman at the brewery. At the time the family comprised William’s older sister and two cousins. The family lived at 8 Orchard Street.

William Thomas Herbert is buried at Brandhoek New Military Cemetery, Vlaanderen, Belgium. Grave location IV.B.14. He died on the 4th August 1917 and was aged 30.  The 3rd Battle of Ypres began on the 31st July 1917, William Herbert was  wounded during that battle.  Brandhoek was comparatively safe from shell fire during the war.  Field ambulances were posted there and during 3rd Ypres it was the site of various Clearing Stations.  The New Military Cemetery was opened to cope with the large number of casualties from that battle.  Also buried in the cemetery is Captain Noel Chavasse, VC and Bar, MC, one of only three men who won the Victoria Cross twice.