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TFWM Trio TFEM 5th Devons Regt

£595.00

TFWM Trio, Territorial Efficiency Medal, 240388 Pte Charles Arthur Hodge, 5th Bn Devon Regt. 5th Devons saw much fighting in the Egypt Campaign with EEF against Turkish Forces

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SKU: J8990 Category:
Origin: United Kingdom
Nearly Extremely Fine

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Territorial Force War Medal, British War Medal and Victory Medal, Territorial Efficiency Medal, GV, 240388 Private Charles Arthur Hodge, 5th Bn Devonshire Regiment. 

 

WW1 Pair officially impressed: “240388 Pte C.A. Hodge. Devon R.”

TFWM officially impressed: “1833 Cpl. C.A. Hodge. Devon R.”

TEM officially impressed: “240388 Sjt C.A. Hodge. Devon. R.”

 

All court mounted for wear.

 

An intersting part of his service was that when the war broke out his unit of Volunteers went to India so that the full timers could go fight in France, this led them to a later posting in the Egypt/Palestine Campaign in 1917 seeing much fighting with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, the Official History of the unit recalls them relaxing in the desert sun after having been battered by Turkish Artillery and Machine Guns as “Imperturbable Westcountryman.”

 

Charles Arthur Hodge was born in Stoke Damerel, Plymouth, Devon, circa 1879.

 

In 1911 he was already a Widower, working as a Fruit Seller and Florist in Plymouth.

He had unusually at the age of 27 back in 1905 married 54 year old Widow Selina Mary Jane Lavers in Plymouth (widow of Royal Navy Schoolmaster William T.J. Lavers)

 

In 1913 he joined the Great Western Railway in Plymouth as a Fitter.

 

During World War 1 he was part of the “Territorial Force” and was mobilised for service with the 5th Battalion Devonshire Regiment.

 

Disembodied after the war was over on 13th February 1919.

 

Still alive in the 1939 Census, he worked as an Engine Fitter in Plymouth, the census noting he was also serving with the “National Defence Corps, 80 Group T.A.R.B.C. 80 Group Regt No 1316 Rank of C. S…”

 

Western Morning News, 12th July 1938 recalls the long service of Hodge attending an event organised by “5th Devons Sergeants” known as the Annual Outing of the 5th Devons Sergeants Families, where he is noted as “At 4.30pm a high tea was provided at Addison’s Cafe, Lieut and Quarter Master Weston and Company Sergeant Major C. Hodge of the Plymouth Defence Company joined the party for Tea.”

 

 

 

 

You can click here to a read a full overview of the regiment’s service and battles fought in Palestine with the E.E.F. finishing off the war in France:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5th_(Prince_of_Wales%27s)_Battalion,_Devonshire_Regiment#World_War_I

 

 

The 5th Prince of Wale’s Battalion, Devonshire Regiment was a part time unit of the British Army originally formed in 1859 as a Rifle Volunteer Club.

 

As Volunteers of the Territorial Force in World War 1, they took the opportunity to go to British India so that the full time “Regular Army” could move over to the Western Front.

 

After some service in India they were posted over to Egypt and fought in Palestine, they embarked for Egypt on 22nd March 1917.

 

Landing in Suez they formed part of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, who had been mostly assembled from the various Territorial Battalions that had been waiting in India for active service.

 

They saw their first battle at Samson’s Ridge, near Gaza when they took 80 casualties from enemy Artillery Fire whilst supporting the 1/5th Bn Bedfordshire’s Attack on Umbrella Hill.

 

Of note, “1/5th Devons missed the opening phase of the Battle of Nebi Samwil on 20 November, being detailed for escort duties, but on 23 November they took part in an attack on El Jib that ran into Turkish artillery and machine gun fire. 

 

Although it raced over the open ground in ‘artillery order’, the battalion’s attacking force was reduced to six officers and 120 men pinned down behind the stone walls of an old vineyard. 

 

The Official History records that ‘Many of the imperturbable Westcountrymen, ignoring their dangerous situation, went to sleep in the afternoon sunshine’. 

 

When the battalion resumed the advance through the winter rains it was down to a strength of just 250 men, but was reinforced in late December. After the Capture of Jerusalem 232nd Bde took part in a minor operation on 15 December to gain positions from which the artillery could reach enemy positions.”