John Dodson
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
John (known as Jack) was born in Keyworth in 1888 and was the son of Fred a blacksmith and Sarah Hannah Dodson (nee Hodgett) of Main St., Keyworth, Nottinghamshire. In the 1901 census John is living with his family including his parents and 5 siblings at Selby Lane,Keyworth at this time he is 13 years of age and an assistant draper. By the 1911 census Jack has moved out of the family and has travelled to Retford where he was boarding with George and Elizabeth Darwin, at this time he is 23 years of age , single and a pressman working at the local rubber works. It must have been while lodging with the Darwins that he met his local wife Gertrude Darwin whom he later married in 1912 at Retford and lived at 5, Wright Wilson St., Retford, Notts.
Jack enlisted at Retford and at first served with the Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derbys Regiment) he later transferred to the West Yorkshir Regiment and eventualy fought and died with the 8th battalion Border Regimnet he died from wounds on 11th April 1918 and is buried in Tourcoing (Point-Neuville ) Communal Cemetery, Nord, France grave reference H 9 . Pte J Dodson Retford Times 21 Feb 1919 Mrs J Dodson, residing with her parents at 5 Wright Wilson Street, Retford, has received official information, that her husband, previously reported to be a prisoner of war, has died in a military hospital at Tourcoing, on April 11th 1918, from wounds in the abdomen. Pte Jack Dodson, who was popular as a member of the Retford Town cricket and football clubs, enlisted early in 1916. After three months training at Brocton Camp, Staffs, he was drafted to France where he saw some hard fighting. Pte Dodson was a marksman and a Lewis gunner. He was sent out for the second time on Easter Sunday and ten days later was reported missing. Three weeks ago Mrs Dodson received her husband’s pocket wallet from a returned prisoner, who stated that Pte Dodson was badly wounded in the abdomen and that he had requested that the wallet should be forwarded to his wife.
Pte Jack Dodson Worksop Guardian 11 October 1918 Pte Jack Dodson, of Retford, who was reported missing and a prisoner, is now officially placed amongst the fallen. Dodson was a member of the football and cricket teams and was a real good sport. He married the daughter of Mr George Darwin. Much sympathy is felt for the bereaved.
