W N Hodgson

[burlington]

We know that Hodgson died in front of Mametz on 1 July 1916 on the opening day of the Somme.

Is there any estimate of his time of death? I assume that he was cut down by the MCG emplacements going up the slope in to Mametz.

My estimate is around 7.45 a.m in the light of no other information being available. He may have been killed at the outset, as Captain Martin seems to have been.

Any views? Diary entries?

Martin

[SOMMESOLDIER]

Hi Martin,

I have wondered about this for quite sometime. After reading anything I can find on William, I confess that it is not at all clear !

As Im sure you know, he was shot through the throat while bringing up Mills bombs, as he was Bombing Officer. My gut feeling, and it is only that, is that he was killed a little later probably between 8am and 9am.

I too would be very interested if anyone had any more information.

Cheers

Tim.

[spike10764]

The book Poets and Pals of Picardy is no more precise- it says WN Hodgson was killed bringing up fresh bombs for his men on July 1st, shot in the throat dying almost instantly. I think the time 8-9 am is probably pretty accurate. The book also contains the closing stanza of 'Back To Rest', one of his most moving pieces of poetry

We that have seen the strongest

Cry like a beaten child,

The sanest eyes unholy,

The cleanest hands defiled,

We that have known the heartblood

Less than the lees of wine,

We that have seen men broken,

We know man is divine.

Here is a picture of his gravestone in Devonshire Cemetery taken in May 2005

[Marco]

For what it's worth:

The book below states he was killed in the first hour of the offensive.

Medomsley, J. WILLIAM NOEL HODGSON – THE GENTLE POET. 1989, 160 pages, 22x15 cm., Mel Publications.

Regards,

Marco