War Timelines for Herbert Hodgson and Richard Cook
Herbert Hodgson Richard Cook 1914 1914 April Hodgson joined the 1/24th (County of London) Battalion (The Queen’s), Royal West Surrey Regiment 4 August Britain declared war with Germany 4 August Britain declared war with Germany. 11 August Hodgson marched with battalion for training at Gorhambury near St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. 16 October Convoy of ships left Wellington Harbour in New Zealand with Albert Henry Cook (Richard’s brother) aboard. 11 August-December Hodgson was in training at Gorhambury near St Albans. 3-31 December The New Zealand Expeditionary Force disembarked from the convoy at Alexandria in Egypt and engaged with the Turks near the Suez Canal. 1915 1915 January In training at Gorhambury near St Albans. January - April The New Zealand Expeditionary Force remained in Egypt. March Travelled from England to France 10-13 March In reserve at the Battle of Neuve Chapelle 10 April The New Zealand Expeditionary Force departed by boat from Alexandria in Egypt. 25 April The New Zealand Expeditionary Force took part in the landings on Gallipoli. 15-25 May Hodgson was in the front line at the Battle of Festubert 5 May 25-26 May With others Hodgson went over the top in Festubert-Givenchy area, captured a German trench and held it overnight. Suffered shrapnel injury in knee and shell shock. 20 May Richard’s brother, Albert Henry Cook, was injured by bullets and shrapnel while landing at Gallipoli and then transported to a hospital in Alexandria. 26 May – 30 June Hodgson was in a field hospital 25-28 September Hodgson was in the transport section at Battle of Loos. October-December In the Loos Salient 20 December Gallipoli was evacuated and the New Zealand Expeditionary Force returned to Egypt. 1916 1916 January In the Loos Salient January February Moved with his Division to the Carency and Souchez sector on Vimy Ridge. February March ? Hodgson took seven days’ leave in Blighty March April-June Hodgson’s division was at the Carency and Souchez sector on Vimy Ridge. 12 June Hodgson’s division moved north to Angres Sector, just north of Arras – a bluff move in preparation for the Battle of the Somme 1-20 August Hodgson’s division marched south to Baisieux, 10km west of Albert. 20 August – 10 September Billeted around Bresle, Franvilliers and Lahoussoye. 23 August Richard Cook enlisted in New Zealand. His army record describes him as 5ft 6in in height, weight 140 lb, blue eyes, fair hair, and Anglican by religion. 10-12 September Moved through Albert and relieved 1st Division in the High Wood Sector. 15 September Hodgson’s division was in the attack on High Wood. Hodgson was in the transport section and probably not immediately involved. 19 September 47th Division relieved by 1st Division. 12-30 September Returned to the Baisieux area, billeted at Henencourt, Bresle and Millencourt. 1-14 October Hodgson’s division billeted around Albert. 14-16 October Hodgson’s division moved by train through Amiens and Étaples, to the Ypres Salient at Hooggraaf near Poperinghe. 16 October – 31 December In Ypres Salient, around Hill 60 to the east. 30 December Left Wellington in New Zealand on a ship to England. 1917 1917 1 January - March ? In Ypres Salient, including around Hill 60 to the east. 3 March Richard Cook arrived at Devonport in England and was sent for training to Codford on Salisbury Plain. March ? Hodgson was run over by limber wagon, injured, and sent back to England. 24 May A postcard from Cook was sent from the "Codford Hills", which are on Salisbury Plain in England. The postcard indicates that he would be engaged in battle in a few days. 28 May Richard Cook travelled from England through France to Belgium, where he joined his battalion near Wulverghem. March ? – September Hodgson was recovering in England, out of active duty. After some time in a military hospital near York he spent four weeks in Cloughton near Scarborough. He was sent for retraining in Winchester and qualified as a first-class signaller. 7 June Cook probably lost his Bible shortly before he went over the top and participated in the successful attack on Messines. 10 June – 27 August He was at the sector between Ploegsteert and Warneton. On 19 August he was briefly sent to hospital because of a sore throat. 17 September Hodgson married Rebecca Moore in London. 28 August – 24 September In training in the Lumbres area. September - December Hodgson was recovering and retraining in Winchester in England, out of active duty. 25-29 September Marched through Renescure, St. Marie Cappel, and Watou, to the Ypres North area, to front line 1,000 yards west of Gravenstafel. 4 October Took part in attack against Gravenstafel and the Abraham Heights. “We went over the top at six o'clock on Thursday morning Oct 4th and it was about an hour afterwards I got the two smacks, one in my left hip and the other in my right shoulder.”He was taken to hospital in Étaples. 8 October Richard Cook bled to death in a stretcher in Étaples Military Hospital. 1918 1918 January-March Hodgson was recovering and retraining in England, out of active duty. Buried in Étaples Military Cemetery. March Hodgson was transferred to the 9th Battalion of the Royal Irish Fusiliers 15-21 March 9th Battalion was in reserve at Seraucourt-le-Grand, 10km southwest of Saint Quentin on the Somme. 21-27 March German attack forced a retreat of 40km to south of Arvillers. 28-31 March Withdrew to St Quentin-le-Mott near Abbeville. 1-8 April Recreation and training around Eu and St Quentin-le-Mott near Abbeville. 9 April Battalion moved by train to Poperinghe in the Ypres Salient. 10 April Battalion moved by motor lorries to Kemmel 11 April Battalion moved from Kemmel to Stinking Farm near Wulverghem. 12 April Battalion moved to North Midland Farm near Wulverghem. The Germans attacked but British counter-attack “completely restored position”. Hodgson found the Bible in this counter-attack but was invalided by a shell burst. 13 April-December Hodgson was put on light duties for remainder of the war. 11 November Armistice 1919 January-February Was on light duties in France. February Took boat from Dieppe to Southampton and returned to London.
Sources:
Hodgson, Herbert (2010) Impressions of War: The Memoirs of Herbert Hodgson 1893-1974 (Oakham: Martlet Books).
Maude, Alan H. (1922) The 47th (London) Division, 1914-1919 (London: Amalgamated Press).
New Zealand Archives, New Zealand Defence Force Personnel Records.
http://www.northirishhorse.net/ww1/rif.html