Northamptonshire Regiment deserter Fred HODGES

[splodge1952]

My great grandfather's brother, Herbert Fred (known as Fred) HODGES, was born in 1877 in Wellingborough, Northants. According to family legend, he joined the Northamptonshire Regiment in the late 1890s or early 1900s. Apparently he deserted, then found he did not like civilian life, and joined up again under a false name! I would like to find out more details if possible. Can anyone help or point me in the right direction?
Thanks,
John Hodges, British Columbia, Canada

[seahall]

Hello John. 

I am surprised Stebie9173 hasn't picked this one up.

Where is our MOD Scrimmers, who is sorely missed here when we
have Northamptonshire queries. 

Have you got any previous army details, marriage or when he died etc
to help us a bit more.

Aside from your request did you see there is now a War Book on
Harlestone.

Sandy

[seahall]

Just had a thought maybe getting in touch with Wellingborough Museum
might be of help John.

Sandy

[Stebie9173]

I occasionally miss a topic or two!


In theory, most soldiers would join up at about 19 or 20 (unless boy soldiers) and then serve for 7 or 8 years active service, before spending the 4 or 5 year balance of their terms of enlistment on Reserve. Most men on active service with the Northamptons are missing from the 1901 Census, either serving with 1st Battalion in India or with 2nd Battalion in South Africa. All assuming he hadn't deserted by that point, of course.

At the moment, I can't see him on any lists I have.


As Sandy suggests, do you have any further information, and possible aliases for his re-enlistment?


Steve.

[splodge1952]

Hi Sandy and Stebie9173,
Thank you both for replying to my post. Unfortunately I know very little about Fred. As far as I know, he did not marry and I don't know when he died or what name he used to join up again. I don't even know what name he used in the latter part of his life.
I have not been able to find him in the 1901 census and I assume he was serving either in India or South Africa.
I have written to the Abington Museum (I thought that was the Regimental Museum) but I have not had a reply yet. I will try Wellingborough Museum too as he came from the town.
One thing which may narrow the dates down a bit: I have a report from the Northampton Mercury in January 1897 of a Frederick HODGES of Wellingborough being charged with breaking into a shoe factory. I assume this is the same chap and therefore he did not join up until 1897 at the earliest.
As you may have gathered, he was a bit of a naughty boy and became the black sheep of the family.
Cheers,
John

[km1971]

Hi John

Desertions were published in the Police Gazette. Unfortunately no complete run survives. But a company is selling a microfilm for the 1890s and 1900 (less 1898), and in their brochure they say that the originals came from the Cambridgeshire Police Archive. They may have a look up service.

1898 is in a different set, and the originals are in the British Library. The sets of microfilm cost £2,000 and £500 respectively. They are bought by criminologists and academics, so a local university may have a set.

1901 to 1913 issues are harder to track down. You should start at the British Library.

Ken

[splodge1952]

Hi Ken,
Thanks for your message. That gives me a line of inquiry that I was previously unaware of. I thought desertions must have been publicised somewhere but I had no idea where.
Cheers,
John

[seahall]

I was looking at some in the Northampton Mercury yesterday
although it was 1897.

Sandy

[splodge1952]

Hi Sandy,
I have searched the Northampton Mercury online at Findmypast and cannot find a Fred Hodges mentioned as a deserter.
Northampton/Abington Museum replied the other day but were not very helpful. They simply referred me to the National Archives.
However, I had a reply from Wellingborough Museum today and Melody was very helpful. She said that you had mentioned this case to her and so thank you! I had not considered what new name Fred might have used, but Melody suggested that he would probably have kept his first name and used a surname beginning with H so that he had the same initials. She did a quick search and the first on the list was a Fred HOWES who was in the Warwickshire Regiment and killed in WW1. It is interesting that she came up with the name HOWES as that was his mother's maiden name. I suppose it is an obvious choice. I will have to investigate Fred HOWES a bit more.
John