Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (14156 Cpl. E. J. Hodgson, 47th Coy 13th Imp Yeo:)
Ernest John Hodgson was from London, born is 1878 he enlisted in 1900 and served with the 47th (Duke of Cambridge’s Own) Company, 13th Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry, as a Corporal and was taken prisoner at Lindley on 31 May 1900, and was released at Barberton on 13 September 1900. He was commissioned Lieutenant in the 18th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry but relinquished his commission on 1 December 1901, having been invalided to England. Thanks to Dunnboer, we know that, "He also appears on the IY Base Depot roll as Lieut. E. J. Hodgson with the script annotation " Lce Sgt. DCO Sqd IY (old yeoman) Lieut 28th Battn IY" This is not shown in his FMP service papers which show him discharged in South Africa on 23/10/00 and I can find no other reference to his service in South Africa although he seems to have returned as an invalid on board the Canada on October 24th 1901."
Hodgson's service papers show that he was born in 1878/79 and at 85 Onslow's Garden, South Kensington, London and that was an underwriter. He lived at 31 Nevern Square, London. He enlisted on 25 January 1900 when 21 and a half years old in the DCO Special Imperial Yeomanry. He was 6 '1.5" tall and weighed 154 lbs. He had a ruddy complexion with blue eyes and light brown hair. He was C of E.
He was in the UK from the 25th of January until the 28th of February when the regiment left for S. Africa. He was in S. Africa from the 11th of March until the 23rd of October, 1900. He served a total of 271 days, and was discharged from the 47th Coy. at his own request and was discharged a Lance Sergeant on the 23rd of October His QSA and three clasps are verified. It appears that he served further with the 22nd Bt. IY as a Lance Sergeant and the later with the Base Depot Imperial Yeomanry as a Lieutenant. (WO100/130).
Hodgson was one of the "special prisoners", those who could pay extra for their food, and went to the officer's PoW camp at Barberton.