HODGKINS, CHARLES

Photograph with kind permission of the Uttoxeter Advertiser

 

Source

CWGC

SDGW

Uttoxeter Advertiser

Other

Parents

 

 

 

 

 

Where born

Uttoxeter

 

Yes

 

 

When born

 

 

 

 

 

Address

8, John Street, Uttoxeter

 

 

 

 

Spouse

 

 

 

 

 

Children

 

 

 

 

 

Employment Before Joining up

 

 

 

 

 

Where enlisted

Uttoxeter

 

Yes

 

 

Regiment

North Staffordshire (Prince of Wales’s)

 

Yes

 

 

Unit

11th and then 1st Bn.

 

 

 

 

1st Bn.

 

Yes

 

 

Rank

Private

 

Yes

 

 

Service Number

16968

 

Yes

 

 

Date of Death

18 July 1916

 

Yes

 

 

Age at time of death

29

 

 

 

 

Where Killed or died

Ypres salient - Wolverghem

 

 

 

 

France/Flanders

 

Yes

 

 

How he died

Killed in Action

 

Yes

 

 

Location of Grave or Memorial

Ration Farm (La Plus Douve) Annexe

Grave: III.B.1.

 

 

 

 

Awards

 

 

 

 

 

 

Charles Hodgkins is something of an enigmatic character. The town memorials and the CWGC register list him as Charles Duffield, whereas the CWGC record says that he served as Hodgkins.

His parents were Edward and Ann Hodgkins, of 8, John Street, Uttoxeter, Staffs.

A relative, Garren Ewing, whom we contacted via the internet, says that the Hodgkins have Gypsy ancestors.

He enlisted on 12th October 1915, and ‘underwent a serious operation’ in order to qualify for active service. He was formerly in the 11th North Staffordshire Regiment, and was subsequently transferred to the 1st Battalion.

The roll of honour says that he died at Wolverghem

It is proving difficult to determine what happened to him. On the day he died, the entry in the regimental diary for his battalion says the following: “Prepared for gas demonstration, but wind unfavourable, so no demo done.”

As this does not include any casualty reports, we can only conclude that he probably died from wounds sustained in some earlier action. The last previous reported in the war diary took place on the 29th June 1916, almost 3 weeks before. On that day there had been heavy shelling with some casualties. All war diary entries after that report record quiet days with no casualties.