Devonshire Regiment
Raymond Stanley Hodges was born in the first half of 1896 at Gloucester and records indicate that he was baptised on 31 July of that year. His parents were William Kendrick Hodges (1862- 924), a wagon repairer and his wife Rosanna (née Trigg: 1865-1937). The couple had eleven children of whom eight were living at the time of the 1911 Census: Raymond was the youngest of their three boys. The family lived at 20 Albany Street, in the Tredworth district of Gloucester.
The 1911 Census records Raymond’s occupation as ‘mill hand (matches)’ at it is likely that he was employed at the nearby Morelands Match factory.
Very little documentary evidence survives of Raymond’s Army service. Given the absence of a Medal Index Card it would appear that he did not serve overseas. He was almost certainly conscripted in about 1917 and, given his number, may well have joined the 8th Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment but in the absence of a service record this cannot be verified. Possibly he was considered not to be sufficiently robust for front line service and was transferred to the Labour Corps (and given the number 145979).
According the Register of Soldiers Effects at the National Army Museum, he died, on 13 February 1919, age 22, at 20 Albany Street in Gloucester. A death notice placed in the Gloucestershire Journal of 22 February 1919 states that he was the ‘youngest son’ of the family. The cause of death is unknown, possibly he was a victim of the influenza pandemic rife at that time. His grave in Gloucester Old Cemetery is marked by a standard CWGC headstone and he is commemorated on the Gloucester War Memorial.
Researched by Graham Adams 1 January 2020