2nd Lieutenant Leonard Hodkinson 53rd Sq RFC died 14 9 1917

[ralphjd]

According to the information gathered by my friend,  Leonard was killed by anti aircraft fire and he is buried Bailleul Communal Cemetery III E 194. Any Pal out there with any further details on this lad that we can add to his history - what was he flying ? was he a pilot ? flying out of where ? etc Anything anyone can add will be most welcome. Thanks Ralph.

[HERITAGE PLUS]

Ralph

I think the spelling should be Hodgkinson. Edit: Hodkinson correct.

RE8 A3238 – 2nd Lt H W Westaway (Wia) + 2nd Lt Leonard Hodgkinson (Kia) 14 September 1917; shot down by anti-aircraft fire

53 Sqdn Air Combat Reports can be downloaded for free:

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7155871

 Squadron locations here:

https://www.armedconflicts.com/No-53-Squadron-RFC-t172201

Dave

Edited 21 July , 2022 by HERITAGE PLUS
Additional info

[charlie962]

Hodkinson per this obit:

"The British Newspaper Archive | findmypast.co.uk" https://search.findmypast.co.uk/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0000310%2f19170919%2f094&stringtohighlight=leonard hodkinson 

Killed instantly per one report but died of wounds per others. 

Edit - admitted 96FA with shrapnel wounds. 

"Casualty Forms - Form" https://www.casualtyforms.org/form/11284

Edited 21 July , 2022 by charlie962

[busterfield]

He is in both Casualties,

https://www.casualtyforms.org/search?surname=hodkinson

and Vault,

http://www.rafmuseumstoryvault.org.uk/pages/raf_vault.php?RAF-titel=Hodkinson%2C+L.+(Leonard)&RAF-code=7000274241&RAF-code=&RAF-titel=Hodkinson%2C L. &van=1

[helpjpl]

 

1.  Royal Welsh Fusiliers:

The undermentioned cadets to be temp. 2nd Lts. (on prob.) (attd.):-

25 Oct. 1916

Leonard Hodkinson

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29825/supplement/11116/data.pdf

 

2.  Airhistory:

Hodkinson	2Lt	L	L		Royal Welsh Fus		09.05.17	accepted as Obs [Observer] on prob	move	CF11284	14625		Royal Welsh Fus	HODKINSON
Hodkinson	2Lt	L	L		Royal Welsh Fus	53Sq	06.08.17	attached	move	CF11284	14626		Royal Welsh Fus	HODKINSON
Hodkinson	2Lt	L	Leonard		The Royal Welsh Fusiliers attd. RFC				WO339	WO 339/65977	8663			HODKINSON
Hodkinson	2Lt	L	Leonard		Royal Welsh Fusiliers 19813 Pte. Royal Welsh Fusiliers attached RFC 2Lt				Medals	WO 372/9/229268	20885			HODKINSON
Hodkinson	2Lt	L	Leonard		Royal Welsh Fusiliers	53Sq France	14.09.17	Died [- RE8] Killed	CasCards	274241	10765			HODKINSON
Hodkinson	2Lt	L	Leonard	circa.1894	RFC	53Sq	14.09.17	AGE:23 France	Death		2908			HODKINSON
Hodkinson	2Lt	L				53Sq	14.09.17	Died [A3238 RE8] Wounded and brought down by AA fire on artly coop. 2Lt HW Westaway wounded/

Royal Aircraft Factory RE8 - number A3238

http://www.airhistory.org.uk/rfc/files/names_combined_H.txt

 

3.  Casualty Card:

http://www.rafmuseumstoryvault.org.uk/archive/hodkinson-l

 

4.  Casualty Form:

 

Admitted 96 Field Ambulance - Shrapnel wound to head Fractured skull. Died 53 Casualty Clearing Station.

https://www.casualtyforms.org/form/11284

JP

Edited 21 July , 2022 by helpjpl
Royal Aircraft Factory RE8

[ralphjd]

WOW. Fantastic, on behalf of my friend THANK YOU very much, totally unexpected. Ralph

[charlie962]

The obit I linked above tells us he first served in France with RWelshFus as a private and was wounded.

His MIC gives service no 19813 and entry date 2/12/15.

The Daily Casualty List of 31/1/16 tells us he was wounded whilst serving with 16th RWF. 

The war diary for 16 RF is here at Discovery 

"16 Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers | The National Archives" https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7354154

Here at Ancestry

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/discoveryui-content/view/661464:60779?_phsrc=nxN912&_phstart=successSource&ml_rpos=1&queryId=03b9a6aff19d15f3481182808742df71

Clearly he went out with the 16th Bn, probably with the advanced party.

His wounding is recorded in the war diary for 9/1/16, when 2 men were killed and 8 wounded by retaliatory enemy shelling. These men were all in B Company. 

"UK, World War I War Diaries (France, Belgium and Germany), 1914-1920 - Ancestry.co.uk" https://www.ancestry.co.uk/discoveryui-content/view/661464:60779?_phsrc=nxN912&_phstart=successSource&ml_rpos=1&queryId=03b9a6aff19d15f3481182808742df71  

There are several mentions of his wounding in the local papers Jan 1916. Shrapnel wound to head and kneck, slight, treated at Rouen Hospital etc..

At some point he was then posted to the 26th RWF and became a cadet. A copy of the Nov 1916 PartII Orders for the school (no4 Officer Cadet Bn) is on Findmypast here: 

"British Army Service Records 1914-1920 Image | findmypast.co.uk" https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBM%2FWO363-4%2F007258531%2F00994&parentid=GBM%2FWO363-4%2FSUPP%2F2535

 

Edited 21 July , 2022 by charlie962
Extra detail, spelink

[ralphjd]

Thanks. Some info there to besure.

[charlie962]

A photo of him in the Rochdale Observer here: 

"The British Newspaper Archive | findmypast.co.uk" https://search.findmypast.co.uk/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0000310%2f19170922%2f223&stringtohighlight=hodkinson "the walk"

[charlie962]

Just a further note on the incident around his death. The obit says the pilot (Horace William Westaway) was stunned but recovered at about 300ft, in time to land the aircraft and avoid a serious crash.  

Charlie