An 'Underage' Great War 'Casualty' campaign & Fire Brigade medal group of 3: Private Stanley William Hoddle, 9th Bn Essex Regiment, late Northamptonshire Regiment & Wollaston Fire Brigade

- British War Medal. Silver issue (49523 Pte. S. W. Hoddle. Essex R.)
- Interallied Victory Medal (49523 Pte. S. W. Hoddle. Essex R.)
- National Fire Brigades LSM.'10 Years'(14666 Stanley W. Hoddle)

Sold together with

- Essex Regiment. Bi-Metal cap badge. Complete with slider fitting to reverse, as issued

Casualty: Private Stanley William Hoddle, confirmed 'Wounded-in-Action' in France by 'Gunshot & Shrapnel Wound' (left knee) on 21 September 1918, during the '100 Days Offensive' while serving with 9th Battalion Essex Regiment

Note: The campaign medals verified as entitled per the respective medal roll of the Essex Regiment viz:

- British War & Interallied Victory Medals: Ref WO 329/1379

Important: Stanley William Hoddle, when only 15 years of age, enlisted in the British Army (Territorial Force) at Northampton, England, on 24 July 1915, and was posted to the Northamptonshire Regiment. An underage soldier, the reckless 15 year old was only detected and 'removed' from further under-age military service when a letter from the youth's mother, dated, 31 July 1916, brought the authorities to action his immediate removal from the British Army, as he was not yet 17 years of age. In her impassioned plea (copy of the letter is extant and accessible at The National Archives), the mother submitted an accompanying 'Birth Certificate' as proof and mentioned that she already had 4 x other sons serving in the Army - implying that she and her family had made enough sacrifices and that 'Stanley' should be removed from military service and returned home - he was!

Stanley William Hoddle, son of Charles Hoddle (a 'Shoe Finisher' by trade) and Eliza Hoddle (nee Kitchener), was a native of, Woolaston, Northamptonshire, England, where he was born on 7 January 1900. Stanley, was one of 9 x children in the Hoddle family, having 4 x brothers, all elder, (Harry Hoddle, Frank Hoddle, Felix Hoddle & Horace Hoddle) and 4 x sisters (Annie Hoddle, Mabel Hoddle, Ada Hoddle & Doris Hoddle). When the Great War broke out in August 1914, Stanley was living with his family at, 2 Eastfield Road, Wollaston, Northamptonshire, England. When Stanley 'first' enlisted as an underage soldier in the British Army on 24 July 1915, he was posted to the 4th Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment (Territorial Force), where he was allocated the regimental number 4515. Stanley served 1 year and 26 days with 4/Northamptons, on 'Home Service', prior to being discharged for being underage (his mother having written to the authorities on 31 July 1916). In spite of his mother's well intentioned intervention in 1916, and after some time 'cooling his heels' working in the shoe trade in civvy street, Stanley, re-enlisted in the British Army, shortly after attaining 18 years of age. On, 30 January 1918, he enlisted for a second time - this time under terms 'Duration of War - in the British Army, at Northampton, England, being posted to 2/6 (Cyclist) Battalion Suffolk Regiment. Extant service records held at The National Archives record Stanley embarking for theatre of war 'France' when he embarked for, Calais, France, on 14 August 1918. In France, Stanley, who had been transferred to the 9th Battalion Essex Regiment, was 'Wounded in Action' by 'Gunshot and Shrapnel Wounds', or GSW, to the left knee. Subsequent postings took Stanley to the 15th Battalion Essex Regiment, with which latter battalion he had been serving 'In the Field' in June 1919. He was still serving with the Essex Regiment, when he took his final discharge from the British Army, later in 1919. Post-war, Stanley returned to Wollaston - and a career in 'Shoe Manufacturing', in which place he was also a long serving volunteer member of the Woolaston Fire Brigade - the local 'Northampton Mercury' newspaper making mention of him several times in various issues from the 1930's. Stanley married, Annie Winifred Johnson at Wellingborough, Northamptonshire in 1939 - she had been a 'War Widow' since 1918. The 1939 National Register for England & Wales, record Stanley, described as an 'Engineer, Shoe Factory' residing with his wife at, 51 Holyoake Road, Wollaston, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, Stanley William Hoddle is recorded as having died on 22 July 1971

Condition: EF

Code: 20871