George Albert Hodkinson: 1918 – death in France
George Albert Hodkinson: 1897-1915 – birth to enlistment
George Albert Hodkinson: 1915-1918 – in the army in England
George Albert Hodkinson: 1918 – death in France ... this page
In one of his letters home Albert commented drew the above illustration and wrote "It is still nice weather here and hope it will keep so for a bit."
- Parents: John William Hodkinson and Frances Eliza Hodkinson
- Born: Thursday, 4th November 1897
- Died: Thursday, 22nd August 1918 (age 20 years and 9 months)
This map shows the known locations of Albert in France and his direction of travel, beginning at Rouen.
Green marker: 2nd June 1918. Croisset, Rouen. This is where the 3rd Water Tank Company parked their vehicles when they arrived in France.
Blue marker: 6th June 1918. Serqueux. This is where the 3rd Water Tank Company established its first headquarters.
Orange marker: Early August 1918. Lucheux. Albert's section (4 Section) moved here.
Red marker: 22nd August 1918. Front line. The marker is placed on the town of Miraumont, which was on the front line at the time of Albert's death. It is known that Albert died near the front line, but the exact location is not known. However, it most likely was somewhere between the south of Arras and the north of the town of Albert.
Grey marker: August 1918. Blairville Orchard British Cemetery. This was Albert's initial burial place, but I haven't been able to find the exact location of this cemetery.
Black marker: August 1923. Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery, Souchez. This is Albert's final resting place, after his body was moved from Blairville Orchard British Cemetery.
George Albert Hodkinson: from Rouen to the front line
When George Albert Hodkinson1 disembarked at Rouen on 2nd June 1918, after the slow journey from Portsmouth, he was joining what was, in effect, a massive transit depot. The Base Depot at Rouen was one of many such depots located in the Channel Ports and at key points along lines of communication where men, supplies and materials were assembled prior to being despatched onwards to the locations where they were needed.
It is an indication of the size of the depot that Rouen was a General Base Depot for the Royal Engineers, the Cavalry and the RAMC; a Base Depot for the Territorial Force and the Army Ordnance Corps; and an Advanced Base Depot for the Indian Division. Rouen also had hospitals for the sick and wounded, and handled supplies, reinforcements, remounts, ordnance, and, of course, mechanical transport.
This view of Rouen is from a postcard from the time of the Great War, looking west along the Seine. On the right is Rouen Cathedral. Beyond the bend in the river can be found the dockyards where Albert disembarked on 2nd June 1918. The vehicles from his company were parked in nearby Croisset for a few days before moving to Serqueux. (Postcard: property of Samuel Hodkinson.)
The photograph dates from May 1918 with an unidentified Mechanical Transport company unloading lorries at Rouen. It is the kind of scene that George Albert Hodkinson would have witnessed in June of the same year in roughly the same location when he landed with his company.
Albert and his comrades spent the first few days in Rouen preparing the vehicles of the 3rd Water Tank Company for the road, which included loading them with enough spare petrol and oil for journeys of up to 200 miles. The company’s war diaries state that 145 vehicles were shipped to France on Tuesday, 28th May, with the ‘remainder’ following three days later.2 Unfortunately, no actual figure is given for the ‘remainder’.
The vehicles were parked in nearby Croisset where they remained until Thursday, 6th June 1918, when the company set out for Serqueux, the location designated for their Headquarters. The first few days at this new destination were spent erecting the camp, cleaning the vehicles and checking their road worthiness again. Added to that, many vehicles needed to be modified, with the fitting of pumps and hoses a priority.
Albert Hodkinson was here! In June 1918, George Albert Hodkinson spent a few days in Croisset after travelling from Portsmouth with the rest of his army company. The photographs above were taken just over a hundred years later, on 20th August 2018. (Photographs: Samuel Hodkinson.)
Progress on the above tasks were initially slower than expected due to illness. The devastating influenza pandemic of 1918–1919 had reached Albert's company. On Friday, 7th June, 28 men became sick with 'influenza-like' symptoms. The company’s war diaries for Wednesday, 12th and Thursday, 13th recorded that there was an average of 30 additional sick daily. An entry for Saturday, 15th June states "145 men sick and isolated." Albert was one of the lucky ones, remaining fit and well during the epidemic. Albert also could take pleasure in being issued with his driver’s log book on Monday, 17th June; being paid on Friday, 21st June; and on Tuesday, 25th June, along with his fellow soldiers, going to spend some of his wages in the newly-opened canteen.
The 3rd Water Tank Company was sub-divided into sections – Albert was in Section 4. The war diaries give the July 1918 composition of Section 1 and Section 2 (which doubtless was more or less the same for Albert’s section) as one 2nd Lieutenant (being the officer in charge), one sergeant, and 44 or 45 other ranks. Each section had the following vehicles: 29 Autocar 150-gallon water tanks, one Sunbeam car and a Douglas motorcycle. It’s not too hard to guess in which vehicle the officer in charge would be driven! In early August 1918, Albert’s section moved to Lucheux, which was then about 15 miles from the front line.
These three photographs3 (reproduced courtesy of the Imperial War Museum) give some indication of the work of the four Water Tank Companies of the Army Service Corps.
The top photograph (© IWM (Q 10430)) shows a water tank lorry of the 4th Water Tank Company delivering water to a roadside watering point in a forward area.
Water from rivers and canals had to be made drinkable and this photograph (© IWM (Q 8891)) shows clean water being pumped into a water cart after treatment by the depoisoning and sterilising plant of No. 2 Water Tank Company in June 1918.
Finally, this photograph (© IWM (Q 10431)) shows an old town fire engine found in Cambrai, pumping water from the Canal de l'Escaut into a water tank lorry which belonged to the 3rd Water Tank Company – Albert’s company. Sadly, when the photograph was taken, Albert was no longer alive Maybe some of those who knew him were operating the equipment.
George Albert Hodkinson and breaches of military discipline
Albert's military record mentions two breaches of discipline, both of which happened in France.
On 10th June 1918, just over a week after landing in France and in the midst of an epidemic amongst the soldiers in his camp in Serqueux, Albert was ten minutes late parading for Guard Duty. For this misdemeanour, Albert was admonished and had to do "2 Extra Guards".
Just under two months later, Albert was in trouble again. On Sunday, 4th August 1918, recently promoted 32-year-old Sergeant Samuel Redman was less than pleased with Private Hodkinson's lack of maintenance of an oil feeder which made it unusable. As part of their training, all drivers were taught how to look after their vehicles and so Albert cannot have been surprised that his punishment was to pay for a new part, costing 10d (4½p), in addition to being admonished for a second time. Although Albert was now based in Lucheux, exactly where this misdemeanour took place is not known, with Albert's army records simply stating the location as ‘Field.’
A smiling Albert is top left in this photograph which was most likely taken in France. The soldiers are from a variety of corps and regiments and are looking relaxed. Their boots are looking good! On the column to the right of the door is a sign which says "'B Coy". Anything else written on the sign is obscured by the head of the soldier sitting in front of it. Shame!
George Albert Hodkinson's death and burial
In August 1918, the Third Army's operational area was between the red lines on the map4 (which have been added to the original map). Albert's death may well have taken place in, or near, the grey dotted section shown on the map where the Third Army was on the offensive.
Albert's death
Some of the details of Albert's death are known because of a letter sent to his parents by a lance-corporal who, it seems from the contents of the letter, was a member of the same section as Albert. There is no information about the exact location of his death, but it probably was somewhere between south of Arras and north of the town of Albert which was the operational area of the Third Army. Albert Hodkinson's death may well have taken place in, or near to, the grey area on the map where the Third Army was on the offensive.
Albert Hodkinson came under attack near midnight on Wednesday, 21st August 1918. It was a moonlit night (the following night would be full moon) which made it easier for him to see what he was doing as he went about his duties. Unfortunately, a moonlit night was also something of which the Germans could take advantage, especially their warplanes.
The lance-corporal's letter, published in the Stockport Express on 19th September 19185, describes the outcome of the attack:
On the 21st Aug. when we were a short way behind the lines, some German aeroplanes came over. George [It looks as though George Albert used his first name when in the Army.] and I were disinfecting the water for the boys. A bomb dropped near us. George was badly hit and became unconscious very soon. I was hit slightly on the leg. The field stretcher-bearers of the Guards came up and dressed our wounds, and George and I were taken to the dressing station. I was with George when he died, about an hour after he was hit. Just before he passed away he said, "Oh! Mother!" That is all I heard him say after he was hit. He was a very good chum and I miss him very much. With all my sympathy in your sorrow, yours truly, T.H. (Lce.-Cpl.).
The Officer Commanding also sent his sympathies adding that the attack occurred on a moonlit night at a water point, adding, "Deceased was assisting in the great work of supplying the troops with water, also the cavalry horses. Deceased never gave any trouble and always proved willing."
An entry in the war diaries for the 3rd Water Tank Company on 24th August 1918 states that three members of 4 Section (Albert’s section) had been reported as wounded. Two of these would have been Albert and the Lance-Corporal whose initials were T.H. Sadly, Albert found his way into the war diaries, but anonymously, with the entry for the following day stating "1 man 4 section 'died of wounds.'"
ASC 986 Company (3rd Water Tank Company): Roll of Honour
This list, extracted and re-arranged from the records of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, gives the names, dates of death (in chronological order) and final place of burial of soldiers who are stated to have belonged to the 3rd Water Tank Company. Albert has the sad distinction of being the first of his company to die.
Albert's initial burial place in Blairville Orchard British Cemetery
Albert's body was buried in a cemetery in an orchard next to a farm in Blairville. A wooden cross, with his name on it, was placed on his grave.
Five years later, Albert’s body was exhumed by local labour so that he could be moved to his final resting place at Cabaret-Rouge Cemetery, Souchez. The cross was still on the grave, one of three ways listed as means of identification, the other two being his clothing and his ASC numerals.
Albert was buried at Blairville Orchard Cemetery after he was killed in action. After the war many small cemeteries were closed and the men buried there moved to new and larger cemeteries. So it was with Albert who was moved to Cabaret-Rouge Cemetery in 1923.
Albert's final resting place in Cabaret-Rouge Cemetery, Souchez
At the cemetery in Blairville, there were four graves in plot 8, row J. They were the graves of:
- Private H.C. Driver of the Coldstream Guards who died on 15th August 1918;
- Private E. Taggart of the Irish Guards who died on 19th August 1918;
- Albert Hodkinson's grave; and
- Bombardier G. Roscoe of the Royal Field Artillery who died on 27th July 1918.
All four were moved to Cabaret-Rouge Cemetery, Souchez6 at the same time and were re-buried in the same order. They became part of a cemetery, which has over 7,650 graves, of which about half are unidentified. Amongst the identified graves, there are 22 members of the Army Service Corps, including Albert.
The way into Cabaret-Rouge Cemetery is through a large domed shelter building. Just past the entrance is the cemetery war stone. (Photographs: Samuel Hodkinson.)
Just inside the shelter are copies of a booklet containing the known names of those who are buried there and the locations of their graves. George Albert Hodkinson's name can be found at the bottom of page 110. There are also plaques dedicating the land to those who died. (Photographs: Samuel Hodkinson.)
22nd August 1918 and, one hundred years later, 22nd August 2018
During August 2018 I travelled with another member of our Hodkinson family to France, the sole purpose of our visit being to visit the grave of George Albert Hodkinson. We spent the night of 21st August 2018 in a hotel in the centre of Arras and on the morning of 22nd August 2018 we took a taxi journey to Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery to put flowers next to George Albert Hodkinson's headstone, 100 years to the day that he had been killed. It was a most poignant moment.
Different views of Cabaret-Rouge Cemetery are shown in the photographs above, some of which overlap with each other. In addition to the main entrance, there are also two shelters in the cemetery which are located on the north and south perimeter walls. (Photographs: Samuel Hodkinson.)
George Albert Hodkinson's memory lives on
The news that all families feared
The news of Albert's death took some time to come through – Army records state that his father was notified on 3rd September 1918. With that news, it was not only grief that now enveloped the family, but also a feeling of helplessness. Albert had died in action, hundreds of miles away from home and was buried in a makeshift grave. The family could not arrange a funeral and in that way, pay their final respects. They would have no local grave to visit and care for and it was impossible to go to France to visit Albert's grave. In effect, the immediate aftermath of his death had been taken out of their hands and there was nothing they could do about it.
The Hodkinson family, however, drew comfort from the support of friends, relatives and church. They were pleased that the Stockport Express had a short piece about Albert. They attended the United Schools' Celebration in July 1919 where Stockport's war dead would have been remembered. They were delighted to have received Albert's war medals and his memorial scroll. The family watched as Stockport's indoor War Memorial was built and, when completed, visited often, picking out Albert's name on one of the marble walls. They also felt more at peace when Albert was reburied in Cabaret-Rouge Cemetery – a much more fitting final resting place for their eldest son.
Allowances, back pay and gratuities
Following Albert's death, army records show that his parents received four sums of money. In early 1919, Albert's father, John William Hodkinson, received 7s 4d (36½p) ‘separation allowance’ from the Ministry of Pensions which was to ‘meet expenses consequent on or caused by the soldier's death.’ Additionally, he received 7s (35p) which was pay due to Albert. Later that year John William received a further £3-11-4 (£3.56½) which was a credit in Albert’s pay account and his wife, Frances Eliza, received a war gratuity of £10.
The pay especially would have created a dilemma – on what should a dead son's last pay be spent? Doubtless the Hodkinsons spent it respectfully and appropriately, maybe on an ornament or other such item that would be on display in their front room as a reminder of Albert.
Brochure for Stockport United Schools' Celebration, 19th July 1919. (Property of Samuel Hodkinson.)
Stockport United Schools' Celebration, Saturday, 19th July 1919
The Great War came to its final conclusion on 28th June 1919 with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles.
About three weeks later, on Saturday, 19th July 1919, Peace Day was celebrated in Stockport, with the focus being the children of the borough, of which about 20,000 took part. Based on their schools, they processed to five different open-air destinations which included Bamford Fields, the nearest location to the Hodkinson home and the one that the Hodkinsons most likely attended. All the celebrations were colourful and musical affairs; in the case of Bamford Fields the children represented different allied countries with a number of bands playing. Yet it can’t be overlooked that the celebrations were laced with sadness for those who had died fighting for their country.
Four-sided brochures for the Stockport United Schools' Celebration, printed by Connell and Bailey Ltd of St Peter’s Square, contained the verses or just the titles of six anthems which were sung at all the celebrations. Four of the anthems – “Before All Lands”, “There is a Land”, “God Bless the Prince of Wales” and “The Red, White and Blue” – had accompanying verses. The final two items – “Land of Hope and Glory” and the National Anthem – simply had their titles listed. Who, after all, wouldn’t know the words of these?
The British War Medal and the Victory Medal. The reverse side of the Victory Medal says "The Great War for Civilisation 1914 - 1919"
War medals
Towards the end of the war, the Army Medal Office (AMO) created The Medal Rolls Index, known as the Medal Index Cards (MIC).
Albert's entry indicates he was entitled to two medals. One of these was the Victory Medal, authorised in 1919, and was awarded to all eligible personnel who served on the establishment of a unit in an operational theatre -a total of 6,610,000. The second medal was the British War Medal, also authorised in 1919, and Albert was entitled to this on the basis that he entered a theatre of war between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918. A total of 5,725,000 individuals were eligible for this medal.
Memorial plaque, scroll and King's letter
After the war, the relatives of the dead were sent the appropriate medals, a memorial plaque and a memorial scroll which had the name of the deceased following the inscription. Accompanying these items was the King's letter, bearing a facsimile signature. Albert’s parents were sent these items on 5th May 1920 and his father duly acknowledged receipt in a pre-paid envelope, as requested by the Casualty Branch of the Royal Army Service Corps.
Roll of Honour in the Stockport Express
For the three years following his death, Albert's parents paid for his name to appear on the Roll of Honour in the Stockport County Borough Express. After that, his name appeared in 1927, and then in 1938 which was the 20th anniversary of his death.
Stockport War Memorial
Amongst the names of the soldiers who died during the Great War there are five Hodkinsons, including Albert, whose memory has lived on since his death.
For example, there was a strong bond between Albert and his younger brother who, on 22nd August 1927, wrote in his diary "9 years ago was the day my dear brother Albert was killed." In the late 1950s and early 1960s, his younger brother who had often visited the memorial, continued to do so, passing on memories to his own children – nephews that their uncle never knew.
The photograph above shows some of the marble panels with the inscribed name of Stockport soldiers who gave their lives in conflicts since 1914. The somewhat blurred photograph of part of another panel show some of the list of soldiers who were members of the RASC - the Royal Army Service Corps. The ASC received the Royal prefix in late 1918. (Stockport War Memorial photographs: Samuel Hodkinson.)
Over one hundred years since Albert's death and using technology that he could never have dreamt about, it seems more than fitting to dedicate these pages to his memory.
George Albert Hodkinson: 1897-1915 – birth to enlistment
George Albert Hodkinson: 1915-1918 – in the army in England
George Albert Hodkinson: 1918 – death in France ... this page
Notes and sources for this page
- Unless otherwise mentioned, this page is based on copies of birth, marriage and death certificates; census returns; and family documents and related items including postcards and photographs which are the property of Samuel Hodkinson.
- No.3 Water Tank (M.T.) COY., A.S.C. War Diaries. (The National Archives.) WO-95-427-4.
- Imperial War Museum, IWM Collections. (http://www.iwm.org.uk. 21 November 2016.)
- firstworldwar.com, Battlefield Maps - Western Front. (http://www.firstworldwar.com/maps/graphics/maps_67_amiens_salient_(1600).jpg. 20 November 2016.)
- The Stockport Express, Pte George Albert Hodkinson. (Stockport. 19 September 1918.)
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery, Souchez. (http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/64600/cabaret-rouge%20british%20cemetery,%20souchez. 17 April 2014.)
- Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council, The History of Stockport War Memorial and Art Gallery. (Stockport. n.d.) Leaflet.
This page was originally published in May 2009 with the latest revisions made on 9th November 2024.