Henry Hodgeon, Stretcher Bearer, from Leigh, Lancashire

[geraint]

I've been asked by a friend to find something about her great grandad.. Unfortunately I know next to nothing about the structure of stretcher bearers. He came from Leigh in Lancashire, was born circa 1882, married 1906, and was "a stretcher bearer". He survived the war, but was deaf, and an "irritable" man.

He may have enlisted in a Lancashire regiment - or not. Were SBs members of the Royal Medical Service allocated to battalions, or were they mainly non-combatant members such as kitchen staff, bandmembers etc, trained as SB's during times of action? Were they ranked as ORs, NCOs and was there a specific officer hierarchy? What level of medical knowledge did they posses? Could they stitch wounds, apply tourniquets and field dressings?

Any information on Henry Hodgeon would be appreciate, and thanks in advance for any assistance.

[PRC]

Assuming he served in a Theatre of War and that he served in the ranks - which if he was a stretcher bearer sounds likely, there is only one Medal Index Card for a Henry Hodgeon - Private 50429 in the Royal Army Medical Corps. The MiC shows him first landing in France on the 25th September 1915. I don't subscribe to Ancestry et al, but from what I can see indexed on Ancestry there is at least two Pension ledger cards for that soldier, and one is indexed that he was resident Leigh.

Not spotting any surviving service records or pension records indexed on Ancestry or FMP.

Units provided their own stretcher bearers to remove non-walking wounded and sick. These could be supplemented as required by members of the Royal Army Medical Corps although during an offensive it would also be a task allocated to prisoners on their way back to divisional cages.

Cheers,

Peter

[RussT]

A most unusual surname - and I agree 50429 RAMC appears to be the only candidate for someone serving overseas.

His Pension Card (born 1883) has an address in Leigh, so this seems certain to be him. Address is 17 Y(?)owd Street*.

Discharged 16/02/1919.

Regards

Russ

EDIT: * Perhaps Youd Street, which still exists

EDIT: Yes - it's Youd Street - he's there on the 1911 Census with wife and 4 children

[geraint]

Pete and Russ,

Thank you so very much for your responses - in so brief a period of time. I'm truly amazed at your generous answers to such a hazy and nebulous inquiry. I am awed by your comments, and sincerely  grateful to you both.

Geraint

[RussT]

His number is indicative of him joining the RAMC on 22nd or 23rd January 1915.

The man with the next number, 50430 (Fred Tyldesley Hulme), was also enlisted in Leigh - perhaps just a coincidence.

Russ

[geraint]

Thanks Russ - I'll pass on the info - they may well have been mates joining together,