Pte 35366 Albert Hodson

• Age: 19
• From: Oldham, Lancs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Albert Hodson was born in the second quarter of 1897 in Oldham, the son of the John William Hodson and his wife Margaret (nee Donohue). John was born in Oldham, and Margaret in Dublin.  They married in 1878 (recorded as Hudson) and had eight children: John William, Mary Hannah, Margaret (who died in infancy), Elizabeth, Joseph, Florence, Alice, and Albert.

His 33-year old father, a cotton operative, is found on the 1891 census living in Derwent Street, Oldham, with his wife Margaret and five children.

Albert’s father John died in 1898 at the age of 40, when Albert was just months old.

In 1900 his mother Margaret married John William Mayall.

The family lived at 1 Roman Street at the time of the 1901 census, the 4 year old Albert has five older siblings: John William aged 21, Elizabeth aged 16, Joseph 14, Florence 11 and Alice 9. Their occupations are all in the cotton mills: their stepfather John is a cotton spinner, young John and Joseph are cotton piecers (mending broken threads during spinning), and Elizabeth is a cotton doffer (unloading full bobbins from the spinning machine).

In 1908 Albert’s brother Joseph marries Mary Elizabeth Cottell. The couple are living at 2 Mulberry Street in Oldham at the 1911 census, they are both working in the cotton industry.

The 1911 Census shows Albert, aged 14, living at 68 Quail Street, Oldham with his stepfather who is now a firewood sawyer. Albert’s mother is not at home during the Census, but his sister Florence is. Both Albert and Florence are cotton piecers. His sister, Alice, 19, employed in a cotton mill, is living with her uncle and aunt Patrick and Ellen Donohue in Radcliffe Street.

Joseph and Mary emigrated to Massachusetts in early 1914 and settled in New Bedford, which was one of the largest producers of cotton yarns and textiles in the country, and where, as experienced cotton operatives, they could find employment.  Albert has not been found on passenger lists.

His mother died aged 52 in July 1914 and his eldest brother John a month later, at the age of 34.

Albert returned to the UK and enlisted, in late 1915 or early 1916, in Liverpool and was serving in the 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 35366 
giving his residence as New Bedford, Massachusetts.

He was killed in action on the 30th July 1916, aged 19, during the battle for the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive.

17th Battalion Diary 

The Battalion was in support to 19 & 20 Battalions K.L.R. 2 Coys. behind 19th & 2 Coys. behind 20th. Very thick mist. The attack was pushed home to the objective in places but in the main was held up by machine gun fire from hidden machine guns.

Fighting continued all day swaying backwards and forwards until by 6pm about 300 yards in depth had been gained & consolidated all along our front.

Casualties in the 17th Battalion were 15 Officers and 281 Other Ranks

Further details are reported in more detailed by Everard Wyrall in his book The History of the King’s Regiment (Liverpool) 1914-1919 Volume II 1916-1917

The 17th King’s had advanced (two companies each behind the 19th and 20th Battalions) in small columns. They too suffered heavily from machine-gun fire and were quickly absorbed into the waves that preceded them. They also shared the gains and losses of that terrible day.

When darkness fell on the battlefield the 30th Division held a line from the railway on the eastern side of Trones Wood , southwards and including Arrow Head Copse, to east of Maltz Horn Farm. On this line the division was relieved by the 55th Division during the early hours of the 31st July. 

The events of 30th July 1916 were regarded at the time as Liverpool’s blackest day. There follows an extract from The History of the 89th Brigade written by Brigadier General Ferdinand Stanley which gives an indication of the events of the day.

Guillemont

Well the hour to advance came, and of all bad luck in the world it was a thick fog; so thick that you couldn’t see more than about ten yards. It was next to impossible to delay the attack – it was much too big an operation- so forward they had to go. It will give some idea when I say that on one flank we had to go 1,750 yards over big rolling country. Everyone knows what it is like to cross enclosed country which you know really well in a fog and how easy it is to lose your way. Therefore, imagine these rolling hills, with no landmarks and absolutely unknown to anyone. Is it surprising that people lost their way and lost touch with those next to them? As a matter of fact, it was wonderful the way in which many men found their way right to the place we wanted to get to. But as a connected attack it was impossible.

The fog was intense it was practically impossible to keep direction and parties got split up. Owing to the heavy shelling all the Bosches had left their main trenches and were lying out in the open with snipers and machine guns in shell holes, so of course our fellows were the most easy prey.

It is so awfully sad now going about and finding so many splendid fellows gone.       

Albert's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. 

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

His sister Elizabeth Clarkson received his Army pay and a War Gratuity of £3. No pension card has been found, indicating that Albert had no dependents.

His elder brother Joseph and Mary Elizabeth were living at 188 Hathaway St, New Bedford, Massachusetts, Joseph enlisted with the Canadian Expeditionary Force in 1918.

We currently have no further information on Albert Hodson, if you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.