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Collection - Letters & Diaries

Digital copies of material relating to Private William Hodgson, number 241019, 2nd/5th King’s Own. Died of wounds 24th May 1917.

Published by the museum as a book and now available.

	The First World War Diaries and Letters of Private William Hodgson, 2nd/5th Battalion, The King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment). Account of his training, leave, and overseas service on the Western Front by Private William Hodgson, of Lancaster, who was killed in action on 24th May 1917. Price including UK postage £9.00. How to order this item.

From the Lancaster Guardian of 9th June 1917

Private William Hodgson (Killed)

At the last meeting of the Centenary PSA [Pleasant Sunday Afternoon] Brotherhood appropriate reference was made to the death in action of Private William Hodsgon, of 6 Bulk Street, the 17th member to make the supreme sacrifice. The Secretary stated that he was a good member in the double sense that he attended regularly and tried to carry out the principles of the Brotherhood inculcated from the platform. When he received his Christmas parcel he was in hospital at Canterbury, but went to the front in February with the 2nd/5th Battalion, King’s Own, and had been attached to a trench mortar battery, the officer of which (Captain Parker) had paid a fine tribute to him. A vote of sympathy was passed with the deceased’s father and relatives, and at the close his favourite hymn, “Abide with me,” was feelingly sung. We reproduce the letter published in our last issue:-

“It is with deepest regret that I have to inform you of the death of your son, Private William Hodgson. On May 24th received a bullet wound in the head, and although he was alive when picked up, he was unconscious, and remained so until he passed away in the dressing station a few hours later. He was an excellent fellow, and did his work willingly and cheerfully in all circumstances. He was a man on whom I could depend, with more than the average intelligence and initiative, and he was liked and respected by his comrades. Today, (25th) he was buried in the neat little cemetery close to the place where he fell, the funeral being attended by a party of men from the battery who had received permission to do so. The officers and men are all sorry to lose him. I can appreciate in part what your grief will be when his sad news reaches you. In your bereavement please accept my deepest sympathy. I hope that in the thought that your son died for his country in her hour of trial you will find some solace.”

Private Hodgson was 23 years of age, and old boy of St. Thomas’s School, and of fine physique. Before the war he worked at Lune Mills, and joined up in September 1913.

An older brother, Thomas, is a stoker in the Navy.

The full museum collection:

	An account of my experiences in the army before I commenced keeping a diary - page 1 Accession Number: KO2716/001
	An account of my experiences in the army before I commenced keeping a diary - page 2 Accession Number: KO2716/002
	An account of my experiences in the army before I commenced keeping a diary - page 3 Accession Number: KO2716/003
	An account of my experiences in the army before I commenced keeping a diary - page 4 Accession Number: KO2716/004
	An account of my experiences in the army before I commenced keeping a diary - page 5 Accession Number: KO2716/005
	An account of my experiences in the army before I commenced keeping a diary - page 6 Accession Number: KO2716/006
	An account of my experiences in the army before I commenced keeping a diary - page 7 Accession Number: KO2716/007
	1916 Diary - Notes Accession Number: KO2716/008
	1916 Diary - January Accession Number: KO2716/009
	1916 Diary - January Accession Number: KO2716/010
	1916 Diary - January Accession Number: KO2716/011
	1916 Diary - January Accession Number: KO2716/012
	1916 Diary - January Accession Number: KO2716/013
	1916 Diary - February Accession Number: KO2716/014
	1916 Diary - February Accession Number: KO2716/015
	1916 Diary - February Accession Number: KO2716/016
	1916 Diary - February Accession Number: KO2716/017
	1916 Diary - March Accession Number: KO2716/018
	1916 Diary - March Accession Number: KO2716/019
	1916 Diary - March Accession Number: KO2716/020
	1916 Diary - March Accession Number: KO2716/021
	1916 Diary - March Accession Number: KO2716/022
	1916 Diary - April Accession Number: KO2716/023
	1916 Diary - April Accession Number: KO2716/024
	1916 Diary - April Accession Number: KO2716/025
	1916 Diary - April Accession Number: KO2716/026
	1916 Diary - May Accession Number: KO2716/027
	1916 Diary - May Accession Number: KO2716/028
	1916 Diary - May Accession Number: KO2716/029
	1916 Diary - May Accession Number: KO2716/030
	1916 Diary - May Accession Number: KO2716/031
	1916 Diary - June Accession Number: KO2716/032
	1916 Diary - June Accession Number: KO2716/033
	1916 Diary - June Accession Number: KO2716/034
	1916 Diary - June Accession Number: KO2716/035
	1916 Diary - July Accession Number: KO2716/036
	1916 Diary - July Accession Number: KO2716/037
	1916 Diary - July Accession Number: KO2716/038
	1916 Diary - July Accession Number: KO2716/039
	1916 Diary - August Accession Number: KO2716/040
	1916 Diary - August Accession Number: KO2716/041
	1916 Diary - August Accession Number: KO2716/042
	1916 Diary - August Accession Number: KO2716/043
	1916 Diary - August Accession Number: KO2716/044
	1916 Diary - September Accession Number: KO2716/045
	1916 Diary - September Accession Number: KO2716/046
	1916 Diary - September Accession Number: KO2716/047
	1916 Diary - September Accession Number: KO2716/048
	1916 Diary - October Accession Number: KO2716/049
	1916 Diary - October Accession Number: KO2716/050
	1916 Diary - October Accession Number: KO2716/051
	1916 Diary - October Accession Number: KO2716/052
	1916 Diary - November Accession Number: KO2716/053
	1916 Diary - November Accession Number: KO2716/054
	1916 Diary - November Accession Number: KO2716/055
	1916 Diary - November Accession Number: KO2716/056
	1916 Diary - November Accession Number: KO2716/057
	1916 Diary - December Accession Number: KO2716/058
	1916 Diary - December Accession Number: KO2716/059
	1916 Diary - December Accession Number: KO2716/060
	1916 Diary - December Accession Number: KO2716/061
	1916 Diary - December Accession Number: KO2716/062
	1916 Diary - January 1917 Accession Number: KO2716/063
	1917 Diary - Memoranda Page Accession Number: KO2716/064
	1917 Diary - Memoranda Page Accession Number: KO2716/065
	1917 Diary - January 1917 Accession Number: KO2716/066
	1917 Diary - January 1917 Accession Number: KO2716/067
	1917 Diary - January 1917 Accession Number: KO2716/068
	1917 Diary - January 1917 Accession Number: KO2716/069
	1917 Diary - February 1917 Accession Number: KO2716/070
	1917 Diary - February 1917 Accession Number: KO2716/071
	1917 Diary - February 1917 Accession Number: KO2716/072
	1917 Diary - February 1917 Accession Number: KO2716/073
	1917 Diary - March 1917 Accession Number: KO2716/074
	1917 Diary - March 1917 Accession Number: KO2716/075
	1917 Diary - March 1917 Accession Number: KO2716/076
	1917 Diary - March 1917 Accession Number: KO2716/077
	1917 Diary - March 1917 Accession Number: KO2716/078
	1917 Diary - April 1917 Accession Number: KO2716/079
	1917 Diary - April 1917 Accession Number: KO2716/080
	1917 Diary - April 1917 Accession Number: KO2716/081
	1917 Diary - April 1917 Accession Number: KO2716/082
	1917 Diary - May 1917 Accession Number: KO2716/083
	1917 Diary - May 1917 Accession Number: KO2716/084
	1917 Diary - May 1917 Accession Number: KO2716/085
	1917 Diary Last Diary Pages Accession Number: KO2716/086
	1917 Diary - Sundays Jan 1917 Accession Number: KO2716/087
	1917 Diary - Sundays Jan - Mar 1917 Accession Number: KO2716/088
	1917 Diary - Sundays Mar - Apr 1917 Accession Number: KO2716/089
	1917 Diary - Sundays Apr - May 1917 Accession Number: KO2716/090
	1917 Diary - Memoranda Page Accession Number: KO2716/091
	Envelope addressed to Miss F Hodgson, Postmarked 15 May 1917 Accession Number: KO2716/092
	Letter to sister dated 14 May 1917 page one Accession Number: KO2716/093
	Letter to sister dated 14 May 1917 page two Accession Number: KO2716/094
	Letter to sister dated 27 Apr 1917 page one Accession Number: KO2716/095
	Letter to sister dated 27 Apr 1917 page two Accession Number: KO2716/096
	Active service envelope to Miss F Hodgson (sister) 18 Apr 1917 Accession Number: KO2716/097
	Letter to sister dated 16 Apr 1917 with pressed leaf Accession Number: KO2716/098
	Letter to sister dated 16 Apr 1917 page one Accession Number: KO2716/099
	Letter to sister dated 16 Apr 1917 page two Accession Number: KO2716/100
	Letter to sister dated 16 Apr 1917 page three Accession Number: KO2716/101
	Letter to sister dated 16 Apr 1917 page four Accession Number: KO2716/102
	Letter to sister dated 16 Apr 1917 page five Accession Number: KO2716/103
	Letter to sister dated 12 Feb 1917 page one Accession Number: KO2716/104
	Letter to sister dated 12 Feb 1917 page two Accession Number: KO2716/105
	Envelope to Mr E Hodgson (Brother) dated 7 Apr 1917 Accession Number: KO2716/106
	Letter to Ernest (Brother) dated 5 Apr 1917, page one Accession Number: KO2716/107
	Letter to Ernest (Brother) dated 5 Apr 1917, page two Accession Number: KO2716/108
	Letter to Ernest (Brother) dated 5 Apr 1917, page three Accession Number: KO2716/109
	Envelope to Miss F Hodgson, dated 30 Mar 1917 Accession Number: KO2716/110
	Letter to sister dated 28 Mar 1917 Accession Number: KO2716/111
	Envelope to Mr E Holden, dated 11 Mar 1917 Accession Number: KO2716/112
	Letter to Ernest, dated 8 Mar 1917, page one Accession Number: KO2716/113
	Letter to Ernest, dated 8 Mar 1917, page two Accession Number: KO2716/114
	Envelope to Miss F Hodgson dated 28 Feb 1917 Accession Number: KO2716/115
	Letter to sister dated 26 Feb 1917, page one Accession Number: KO2716/116
	Letter to sister dated 26 Feb 1917, page two Accession Number: KO2716/117
	Envelope address to Miss F Hodgson, dated 1916 Accession Number: KO2716/118
	Letter to sister dated 1 Oct 1916 page one Accession Number: KO2716/119
	Letter to sister dated 1 Oct 1916 page two Accession Number: KO2716/120
	Letter to Sister, Flossie, dated 13 Oct 1915, page one Accession Number: KO2716/121
	Letter to Sister, Flossie, dated 13 Oct 1915, page two Accession Number: KO2716/122
	Letter to sister, Flossie, dated 13 Oct 1915, page three Accession Number: KO2716/123
	Envelope to Miss F Hodgson, dated 5 Feb 1917 Accession Number: KO2716/124
	Letter to sister dated 5 Feb 1917, page one Accession Number: KO2716/125
	Letter to sister dated 5 Feb 1917, page two Accession Number: KO2716/126
	Letter to sister sent from Blackpool, page one Accession Number: KO2716/127
	Letter to sister sent from Blackpool, page two Accession Number: KO2716/128
	Letter to sister sent from Blackpool, page three Accession Number: KO2716/129
	Army Form B 104-221, dated 19 Nov 1917. Regarding place of burial of 241019 Private W Hodgson, 5th KORLR. Accession Number: KO2716/130
	Imperial War Graves Commission letter of 11 Jun 1924 regarding the re-numbering of the grave in Rue Petillow Cemetery. Accession Number: KO2716/131
	Photograph of Nurse? Accession Number: KO2716/132
	Photo: Eight soldiers of the 5th King’s Own outside Billet in Blackpool including William Hodgson. “Mrs Stewart’s Apartments’ seen on wall of house. Accession Number: KO2716/133
	Photo: Group of 5th King’s Own, “5th Reserve Battalion KORLR at Blackpool” with William Hodgson dressed in civilian clothes as there was no uniform to fit him at this time. He appears to be over 6 foot 5 inches tall (according to later reference in diary). Accession Number: KO2716/134
	Photo: William Hodgson as a boy. Accession Number: KO2716/135
	Photo: Private William Hodgson. Accession Number: KO2716/136
	Photo: Private William Hodgson, 5th King’s Own Accession Number: KO2716/137
	Sketch of Private William Hodgson, 5th King’s Own, based on photograph Accession Number: KO2716/138
	Photo: Mrs D Maguire along side headstone of Private William Hodgson. Accession Number: KO2716/139
	Photo: Wooden cross on grave of William Hodgson Accession Number: KO2716/140
	Photo: Imperial War Graves Commission card which includes photograph of the grave of Private William Hodgson. Accession Number: KO2716/141
	Sketch of mortar barrel. Accession Number: KO2716/142
	Card advertising personally conducted tours in France and Belgium by Colonel Moultrie and Major Allen. Accession Number: KO2716/143
	Postcard of the ruined church at Fleurbaix, France. Accession Number: KO2716/144

Only a proportion of our collections are on display at anyone time. Certain items are on loan for display in other institutions. An appointment is required to consult any of our collections which are held in store.