Francis Hodder
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Francis Samuel Hodder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 11 September 1906 Carrigaline, Ireland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 6 September 1943 (aged 36) Rheinberg, Germany | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-arm (unknown style) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Relations | Right-handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Source: Cricinfo, 20 March 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Francis Samuel Hodder (11 September 1906 – 6 September 1943) was an Irish first-class cricketer and Royal Air Force officer.
Early life and military career
The son of Samuel and Maud Hodder, he was born at Ringabella House in Carrigaline, Ireland.[1] He was educated in England at Forest Hill House School, where he played for the school cricket team.[1] On one occasion while playing for the school he scored a cenury and took all ten wickets.[1] After completing his education, he took up employment with Midland Bank.[1] Unhappy with his job, Hodder enlisted in the Royal Air Force as a pilot officer in 1925.[2][1] He was promoted to the rank of flying officer in January 1927.[3] Three years later he was promoted to the rank of flight lieutenant in November 1930.[4] He played first-class cricket for the Royal Air Force cricket team against the Army at The Oval in 1931.[5] Batting twice in the match, Hodder was ended the Royal Air Force first-innings unbeaten having scored a single run, while in their second-innings he remained unbeaten on 10.[6] With his right-arm bowling, he bowled a total of 28 overs across the match, conceding 69 runs and taking the wicket of Bill Leggatt.[6] During the 1930s he served in Iraq and Aden, as well as passing a specialist engineering course.[1] He was promoted to the rank of squadron leader in February 1937.[7] He married Evelyn Margaret Bowden-Smith in 1940, with the couple having two sons.[1]
WWII service and death
He served during the Second World War and was stationed in France at its outbreak, later working alongside the Advanced Air Striking Force to cover the retreating British Expeditionary Force during the Battle of France, for which he was mentioned in dispatches.[1][8] After the allied defeat in France, Hodder returned home and was placed on engineering duties, firstly at Rootes Aircraft Factory and Handley Page.[1] He was promoted to the temporary rank of group captain in March 1942,[9] with Hodder obtaining the full rank the following month.[10]
In July 1943, he was placed in command of RAF Syerston.[1] Having had little flying experience, Hodder wanted to experience what his men experienced during bombing raids. He joined the crew of a Lancaster bomber during a bombing mission to Mannheim on the night of September 5/6.[1] Near Rheinberg the bomber encountered a Luftwaffe night fighter and was shot down, killing all aboard with the exception of one survivor.[1] He is buried at the Rheinberg War Cemetery.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m McCrery, Nigel (2011). The Coming Storm: Test and First-Class Cricketers Killed in World War Two. Vol. 2nd volume. Pen and Sword. p. 372-73. ISBN 1526706989.
- ^ "No. 33134". The London Gazette. 19 February 1926. p. 1245.
- ^ "No. 33246". The London Gazette. 8 February 1927. p. 868.
- ^ "No. 33658". The London Gazette. 4 November 1930. p. 6959.
- ^ "First-Class Matches played by Francis Hodder". CricketArchive. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
- ^ a b "Army v Royal Navy, 1931". CricketArchive. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
- ^ "No. 34366". The London Gazette. 2 February 1937. p. 717.
- ^ "No. 34893". The London Gazette (Supplement). 9 July 1940. p. 4268.
- ^ "No. 35503". The London Gazette. 27 March 1942. p. 1386.
- ^ "No. 35525". The London Gazette. 14 April 1942. p. 1649.