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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Nurse Hodges


swizz

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Hi all,

I was recently in Dorchester and noticed a nurse's name on the war memorial - pic attached. When I looked Hurse Hodges up on the CWGC I was unable to find her. What could explain this? As far as I could see, the memorial only lists the names of people who died.

Any ideas?

Swizz

post-4676-1158412113.jpg

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Swizz

It was a bit more difficult for nurses to meet the CWGC criteria than the ordinary soldier. To qualify they had to be both employed at the time of their death, and also die of an illness/disease that was attributable to their service. It also excluded 'civilian' nurses. She could, of course, have died outside the qualifying period for commemoration. A search of the British Journal of Nursing brings up one hit on 'C. M. Hodges' which may be her, and shows her to be working at Urmston Hospital, Eastbourne, in April 1917.

Sue

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I think this may be...Constance Hodges, died on home service, 22nd June, 1917. serving at Urmston hospital, Eastbourne. Next of kin, Mrs Hodges of Oakwood, Middleton, St. George, Nr. Darlington.

John

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Surname HODGES

Firstname Constance Mary

Service Number

Date Death

Decoration

Place of birth

Other

SNWM roll WOMEN'S SERVICES.

Rank Unknown

Theatre of death Unknown

Aye

Malcolm

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I wonder what her connection with Dorchester was?

And blood poisoning sounds as though it could well be attributable to her war service - unless she was a gardener/rock climber/wood cutter etc. :)

Sue

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Thanks to everyone for their replies - I'm glad we have been able to put a full name to this Nurse. I was very interested to read about the various preconditions to a nurses's name making it onto the CWGC - thanks Sue!

I can't imagine what her Dorchester connection was and unfortunately I'm unlikely to be back there in the near to check the local papers. I did notice that her name wasn't on the war memorials at the Anglican or RC churches in the town though.

Swizz

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swizz

With an interest in WWI female casualties your post intrigued me particularly the memorial. I wondered whether the little lumps under NURSE were dittos, suggesting that both Payne & Pope were also nurses, however Payne, like Hodges drew a blank but Pope produced:-

Name: POPE, CICELY MARY LEIGH

Initials: C M L

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Nursing Sister

Regiment/Service: Voluntary Aid Detachment

Secondary Regiment: British Red Cross Society

Age: 31

Date of Death: 25/06/1921

Additional information: Daughter of Frances A. Pope, of 12A, Kensington Mansions, Earls Court, London, and the late Rev. W. A. Pope. Born at Redbourn, Herts.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: C. 2.

Cemetery: CHELA KULA MILITARY CEMETERY, NISH

Unfortunately the last two initials do not tally so unless someone made a clerical error I, at least, have another unfortunate lady for my records.

I wonder how much ribbing her dad experienced "THE REVEREND POPE"?

Tony

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swizz

If the little lumps underneath (NURSE) indicate dittoes then Payne and Pope must have been nurses but the Pope that I picked up on CWGC must have been a coincidence. I shall keep their names on file as something will almost certainly come up one day.

Cheers Tony

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I would suggest these two as the likeliest candidates. The Pope family is a well known local family (part of the Pope's Brewery) and at least one was a mayor of Dorchester. And quite a contributor to the war effort with 15 brothers and sisters taking part.

Name: PAYNE, ARTHUR LEONARD

Initials: A L

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Private

Regiment/Service: Royal Army Service Corps

Unit Text: 8th Field Bakery

Age: 39

Date of Death: 24/02/1919

Service No: S/359744

Additional information: Son of the late Samuel and Caroline Payne; husband of Rosina Isabella Payne, of 192, Rose Green Rd., St. George, Bristol.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: II. I. 2.

Cemetery: JANVAL CEMETERY, DIEPPE

Name: POPE, CHARLES ALFRED WHITING

Initials: C A W

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Captain

Regiment/Service: Royal Army Medical Corps

Age: 39

Date of Death: 04/05/1917

Additional information: M.B. Son of Alfred Pope, J.P., F.S.A., and Elizabeth Mary Pope, of Wrackleford House, Dorset; husband of Marion Ruth Pope, of 7, Sedlescombe Rd. South, St. Leonards-on-Sea. One of eleven brothers and four sisters, all of whom (except one son predeceased) fought or worked for their Country in the Great War.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Memorial: SAVONA MEMORIAL

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Jim

A closer look at the names on CWGC I must agree with you, however if the digits on the memorial are meant to indicate dittoes whoever made the mold for the casting got it slightly wrong. The dittoes alongside SMITH (MM) are correct although he was attd to RAMC. I therefore concluded that the dittoes underneath NURSE indicated that they were also nurses. If they were intended to indicate RAMC he got that wrong as well, PAYNE (RASC). The bloke making the mold was either sadly ill-informed or spent too much time in Pope's brewery.

You said in an earlier post that she died of blood poisoning but did not identify her classification. Was she a VAD or do I assume correctly that she was a Hospital Nurse unconnected to any service organisation?

Tony

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Jim

You said in an earlier post that she died of blood poisoning but did not identify her classification. Was she a VAD or do I assume correctly that she was a Hospital Nurse unconnected to any service organisation?

Tony

To be honest, Tony, I don't know. She is listed on the York Minster panels under "auxiliary hospitals". This is a different listing to Voluntary Aid Detachment, Order of St. John, etc and I have never really understood who was listed under the auxiliary hospital designation. My guess would be civilian nurses working in military hospitals but perhaps someone with more knowledge can answer it.

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