Memoirs of the First World War

My name is Ivor Hodgson and I am writing to you regarding the Memoirs of my father, Herbert Hodgson which have been published by Martlet Books this year under the title ' Impressions of War'

My fathers memoirs cover his growing up amidst the poverty and social injustices in London during the early part of the 1900's. They move on to his training as a printer which eventually led to him meeting T.E. Lawrence and printing the very first subscribers edition of Lawrence's masterpiece, 'The Seven Pillars Of Wisdom' . This led to him moving to Wales where due to the expertise he displayed at the world renowned Gregynog Press in Montgomeryshire he achieved the distinction of being described as 'one of the finest printers of the twentieth century'. But the main point of this email, and one which I hope will be of interest to you and your members, concerns my fathers vivid and moving account of his experiences in the trenches during WWI. He was one of the many who answered when Kitchener called in 1914 and despite being injured twice, sent home, patched up and returned to the trenches, he somehow survived the horrors and was demobbed in 1918. One 'small' incident which happened to him was in April 1918. Whilst going 'over the top' for the second time, he stumbled into a shell hole and 'found' a mud encrusted bible there.

After being advised by an officer that he might as well keep it adding, 'it might bring you luck', he took that advice and eventually bought the book back to England. The identity of the original owner of the bible remained a secret until Geoffrey Hodgson (no relation), the publisher of my fathers memoirs, decided to search the web in the summer of 2010. Eventually he was able to prove that the Army serial number written across the top pages of the books belonged to a New Zealand soldier named Richard Cook who lost it a few weeks before he was wounded, and subsequently died, in the Battle of Messines in October 1917. When my father found it the following April it was also in the continuing same battle at Messines. When this story broke it became very big news in New Zealand with widespread media coverage. On October 8th this year which was the 93rd anniversary of Richard Cook's death, an emotional meeting took place at his graveside in the Etaples Military Cemetery in France. Two descendants of the fallen soldier with their partners met up with my elder brother Bernard and I plus my wife, son and grandson along with other members of our families and Geoffrey Hodgson. My brother, as the present custodian of the bible bought the book along to show the descendants and have some photographs taken. The story was covered and filmed by Meridian TV and also a New Zealand TV company. The film was shown on TV that evening in both countries. Another brother is, along with Geoff Hodgson, taking the bible over to New Zealand next March where we have donated it to a Army Museum in Wellington where it can be seen and its story can be enjoyed by present and future generations. Whilst we were on our Battle Fields tour in October and visiting High Wood, another place where my father fought, we encountered a coach full of British children from Cambridgeshire and their guide.

When they learnt of our story they all gathered around my brother and I and we let them touch the bible and spent some time answering their questions relating to the story. It was so rewarding to be able to find children who were so genuinely interested in learning all they could about the story and the battles. One of them even bought a copy of my fathers book for her own father who apparently reads anything relating to WWI. In addition, the children's Battlefield guide asked me for a copy of the poem I have written entitled 'The Bible In The Mud' . This tries to put the story into verse.. I was honoured and felt very privileged as I handed him a copy. He hoped to use it the following week when he was taking another party on a poetry tour around the Messines Battlefields. Naturally this led me to thinking perhaps you and your members might be interested in learning more of my fathers experiences in that terrible conflict. So to that end perhaps you would care to follow the guide I recommend below. Http://www.martlet-books.co.uk or www.martlet-books.co.uk When you get this up click onto IMPRESSIONS OF WAR Then follow ALL the links for the full and varied story.

By following all the links you will be able to not only read a very comprehensive account of my fathers life story you will also be able to see two video interviews broadcast by by Meridian TV – one of my brother Bernard and his daughter plus the Bible and secondly the video Meridian took of the graveside ceremony on October 8th 2010. Plus there is also a very short Movie clip which I shot and has been edited by Geoff Hodgson.

Lastly if you look for the section headed WHERE HERBERT HODGSON FOUND THE BIBLE and then scroll down and look for a line starting CLICK HERE FOR POEM WRITTEN BY IVOR HODGSON etc you will see my contribution in memory of two brave soldiers. I apologise for the length of this letter but as you have probably gathered by now I am very proud and passionate about my fathers story and in passing it on I hope others can also enjoy reading it.

Thank you

Yours sincerely

Ivor Hodgson