Hodson, Alfred Arthur Henry Died

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Personal Information

Rank Sgt
Forename(s) Alfred Arthur Henry
Surname Hodson
Gender M
Age 21
Date of Death 04-05-1944
Next of Kin Son of Albert Edward and Caroline Hodson, of Stafford.
HODSON AAH

Aircraft Information

Aircraft Avro Lancaster III
Serial Number ME703
Markings

Memorial Information

Burial/Memorial Country United Kingdom
Burial/Memorial Place Stafford Cemetery
Grave Reference Plot G. New portion. Grave 11.
Epitaph SLEEP ON, VALIANT HEART YOUR DUTY WAS MOST NOBLY DONE

IBCC Memorial Information

Map
Directions to panel 183
HODSON AAH

Location

Row -
Panel 183
Column -
Line -

Directions From the Chadwick Centre, take the central path towards The Spire.

Phase 2
Panel Number 183

Enlistment Information

Service Number 1819663
Service Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Group 1
Squadron 576
Squadron Motto Carpe diem (Seize the day)
Trade Air Gunner
Country of Origin United Kingdom

Other Memorials

Location All Saints Church, Elsham, Lincolnshire
Country United Kingdom
Memorial Type Inscribed Stone Tablet
Memorial Text Dedicated to all who served at RAF Elsham Wolds on 103 7 576 Squadrons 1941-45
Location Water Treatment Works, Elsham Wolds, Lincolnshire
Country United Kingdom
Memorial Type Inscribed Stone Memo and Propeller Sculpture
Memorial Text In memory of those who served at R.A.F. Elsham Words 1941 - 1945
Location All Saints Church, Elsham, Lincolnshire
Country United Kingdom
Memorial Type Inscribed Stone Tablet
Memorial Text In memory of the Airmen of 576 Sqn who gave their lives in 1939 - 45 War
Location In front of the mess esplanade, Mailly-le-Camp, 10 - Aube Prefecture
Country France
Memorial Type Stone memorial sculpture, inscribed marble tablets and inscribed metal plaque
Memorial Text En souvenir des heros de la RAF. Qui ont participe au bombardment du camp de Mailly. Unites de la RAF engagees dans le raid sur Mailly-le-Camp, la nuit du 3 au 4 May 1944. N° 9-12-44-49-50-57 61-83-97-100-101 Special Duties Flight-103-105-106-166- 169-192-207-460 (RAAF)-463 (RAAF)-467 (RAAF)-550-576-617- 619-625-626-627-652
Translation "In memory of the RAF heroes who took part in the bombing of Mailly Camp. RAF units engaged in the raid on Mailly-le-Camp, the night of 3-4 May 1944. Squadrons that took part: N° 9-12-44-49-50-57 61-83-97-100-101 Special Duties Flight-103-105-106-166- 169-192-207-460 (RAAF)-463 (RAAF)-467 (RAAF)-550-576-617-619-625-626-627-652"
Location Bawtry Hall, Bawtry, South Yorkshire
Country United Kingdom
Memorial Type Inscribed Marble Tablet
Memorial Text In memory of those who did not return 1939 - 1945

Miscellaneous Information

For their courage during that night each of the 5 received gallantry awards. P/O Reed (Pilot) was awarded the DSO, F/O Murphy and F/O Hallows (Wop and Navigator) each received the DFC and F/S Saruk and Sgt Taylor each received the DFM (Air Bomber and Flight Engineer).

The National Archives

Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/2047/12
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/2047/12

Last Operation Information

Start Date 03-05-1944
End Date 04-05-1944
Takeoff Station Elsham Wolds
Day/Night Raid Night (83% moon)
Operation Mailly-le-Camp panzer tank depot
Reason for Aircraft Loss Twice attacked by Ju 88 night-fighters. The first time was before reaching the target. The aircraft sustained significant damage and was rendered very difficult to control. It took the combined efforts of the pilot and the flight engineer to operate the control column while the air bomber assisted with the rudder pedals. Most of the aircraft's systems had been rendered inoperative in the attack, including the intercom, electrical and hydraulic systems. A fire broke out in the rear of the fuselage which is thought to have forced the mid-upper gunner to bale out. Sgt Hodson was killed as a result of the damage to the rear gun turret. Despite the damage, the crew decided to complete their mission but they had become so far off the aiming point due to evasive action that they had to go around again. Soon after they had dropped their bomb load on the target markers they came under sustained attack from another Ju 88, inflicting further damage. The flight engineer succeeded in putting out the fire in the fuselage and the wireless operator fixed his set, allowing distress calls to be issues. By the time they had regained the English coastline, the pilot had got the measure of how to control the aircraft so decided to push on to Elsham Wolds where he made a crash-landing. The starboard undercarriage collapsed and the bomber swung off the runway. Miraculously they came safely to a halt and there were no further injuries.
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Casualty Pack

IBCC is delighted to introduce a unique facility to link the Losses Database to the relevant RAF Casualty Pack on the National Archives website. This project is the result of on-going collaboration between IBCC, the MOD Records Office and National Archives, Kew. This document describes what Casualty Packs are, when they were created, the process of making them available to the public and then goes on to describe the process by which you can view the contents of the packs. Casualty Packs (CPs) were created by the RAF whenever there was serious injury or loss of life associated with operational activity within the RAF. This includes operational flying losses, enemy action due to air raids, road accidents either on station or even off-station if they involved RAF vehicles. Deaths due to natural causes in service or accidents that did not involve RAF vehicles did not generally give rise to a CP.

CPs were originally given a unique reference number by the RAF. Each begins with the letter ‘P’ and is followed by six digits, then an oblique (forward slash) and the finally the year in which the incident took place- for example P396154/42.

The CPs are in the process of being made available to the general public as they are passed from the MOD Records Office, Portsmouth to National Archives, Kew. This process requires some rework to the files which is very time consuming, so the process of making them all available to National Archives will take several years. They are being made available in increasing date order.

Once CPs arrive at National Archives they are assigned a unique AIR81 number, so each CP has both a P-number and an AIR81 number. Both are searchable on the National Archives website under ‘Search the catalogue’ and both are included on the IBCC website.

The AIR81 reference on the IBCC website is a link to the file on the National Archives website. When you click on it, the relevant page will open in a new tab on your browser.

There is currently no plan to digitise AIR81 files, partly because they are fragile and partly because the information they contain can at times be sensitive, even harrowing, since they may contain exhumation reports and even photographs of corpses. Family members wishing to read the AIR81 files relating to their ancestors are advised to exercise caution and be guided by National Archives warnings where appropriate.

There are two means for accessing AIR81 files- to attend in person or to order a copy by post.

To attend in person, the attendee should first create a Reader’s Ticket. This can be done online by following this link: https://secure.nationalarchives.gov.uk/login/yourdetails. Then click on the AIR81 reference on the IBCC website and click Order in Advance. Enter your Reader’s Ticket number and state the date on which you intend to visit. National Archives will have the file ready for you when you arrive, saving you time. When you visit Kew, you must quote the Reader’s Ticket number and take along two forms of ID- one bearing your signature and one bearing your address. When you view the files, you are permitted to take photographs of each page, should you wish.

Alternatively, if you wish to order a copy by post, please be aware that there is a charge for this service based on the number of pages in the file. Click on the AIR81 reference on the IBCC website and then click Request a Copy. There is an £8.40 charge for National Archives staff to access the file and give you a quotation for the copying service. The process takes around 24 days to complete and can be expensive.

IBCC wishes to thank the staff at the MOD Records Office and National Archives for their engagement and assistance in making this facility available to our website users.