Born in 1917 in Rickmansworth, Eric was the youngest son of Gerald Hodgson, and Marjorie Hodgson (nee Thornhill), of Croxley Green, Hertfordshire. They had married in London in 1898.Eric had six siblings. Four older brothers, Geoffrey, Charles, John and Frederick and two older sisters, Geraldine and Violet. Their father was a stockbroker.
Eric was a well-known member of the West Herts Rugby Club and a Hertfordshire County player.
In World War Two Eric was seconded to No 2 Commando and took part in Operation Chariot in March 1942. This was a Combined Operations raid on the port of St. Nazaire in German occupied France. Packed with ton of high explosives, the destroyer HMS Campbeltown was rammed into the gates of the only dry dock capable of servicing the German Battleship Tirpitz. The damage was so great that the dry dock was rendered unusable for the rest of the war.
Eric, was Officer Commanding 1 troop, was in charge of the Commandos on motor launch ML 446. He was reported missing believed killed on the 28th March 1942. His death was later confirmed as killed in action. He has no known grave and as such is commemorated on the 1939-1945 Brookwood Memorial.
Eric is also commemorated on the War Memorial in Croxley Green, Hertfordshire.
(Sources: CWGC, Ancestry, Find My Past, National Archives, Newspaper Archives, Commando Veterans Archive)
(Bio: Woose)
