Bernard's Story.
EARLY LIFE
Bernard Hodkinson was born on 14 July and baptised on 27 July 1892 at St Luke's Church, Dyer's Hill, Sheffield, the son of Mary Elizabeth and Albert Hodkinson, a miner of 2 Court, no 1 House, Talbot Road, Sheffield. In 1901, eight-year-old Bernard was living at 31 Park Hill Lane, Attercliffe, Sheffield, with his parents and siblings Mary E (13) and Frederick (6). By 1911 the family had moved to 120 Manor Lane, Attercliffe, and also included eight-year-old Jessie; Bernard had left school and was working as a boot repairer.
It is not known what brought Bernard to Macclesfield but he was living there by 1915, working as a boot and shoe maker. On 3 October 1915 Bernard married Hannah Elizabeth Hindley at St George's Church, Sutton, south Macclesfield; the couple lived at 160 High Street, south Macclesfield.
MILITARY SERVICE
Bernard attested in Macclesfield on 11 December 1915 and was called up on 11 April 1916, joining the 4th Battalion South Lancashire Regiment with service number 4901 (later changed to 202494). After training, he was drafted overseas to France on 18 August 1916, and was wounded in the left leg just a few weeks later on 26 September 1916. After treatment, Bernard was able to return to his battalion on 30 September and continued to serve in France until he was gassed on 13 July 1917; he was initially treated in the 11th General Hospital at Camiers and on 4 August 1917 was repatriated to the UK .
Bernard was treated in Devon for gas poisoning between 7 and 23 August 1917 at V.A. Hospital No. 3, Exeter, and then at Crediton V.A. Hospital; he was finally discharged on "sick furlough" on 3 September 1917. During this time he would have been allowed to stay with his family whilst convalescing.
After a short period of training, Bernard was again drafted to France, this time joining the 15th Battalion Cheshire Regiment on 9 April 1918 with service number 53579; he was reported missing just twelve days later, on 21 April 1918.
On 11 August 1918 Private Hodkinson's burial was reported by the 7th Border Regiment, and it was assumed that he had been killed in action or died of wounds on or shortly after 21 April 1918. Private Hodkinson was at first buried at a location with map reference 57d.W.4.a.3.1. and, after the war had ended, his body was reburied in the CWGC Serre Road Cemetery No. 1.
On 2 August and 20 November 1918 Bernard's family sent enquiries to the Red Cross to try to discover what had happened to him, but unfortunately no further information was found.
COMMEMORATION
Private Thomas Hodkinson is buried in Grave Ref. V.C.15. of the Serre Road Cemetery No. 1, France. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission holds casualty details for Private Bernard Hodkinson.
Locally, Private Thomas Hodkinson is commemorated on the Macclesfield Park Green war memorial.
SOURCES
GRO (England & Wales) Index: Births, Marriages
England & Wales Census: 1901, 1911
WWI Medal Rolls (Ancestry)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission website
WWI British Army Service Records 1914-1920
The Long, Long Trail website
British Red Cross & Order Of St John Enquiry List, Wounded & Missing, 1914-1919 (FindMyPast)
Research by Rosie Rowley, Congleton.