Image above; Private Albert. Francis Hodson From the Otago Witness of 7th July 1915

 
 
 

Evening Post, 19 June 1915: ROLL OF HONOUR - NZ CASUALTIES THE 77th LIST
Hodson, Albert Francis, 10/982, Pte. (James Hodson, Parkvale, Wanganui)

Wanganui Chronicle, 19 June 1915; Mr. James Hodsqn, of "Parkville," received last night that his son. Private ' Albert Francis Hodson, had been wounded at the Dardanelles. Private Hodson, who is 22 years of age, went away with the Napier Battalion.

Mr James Hodson has received a letter from his son who was wounded in the Dardanelles, dated Jul 5 from which the following extracts were made: "I was hit through the left thigh with shrapnel which entered one side and had to be cut out the other. Both wounds are almost healed now. I wll soon be leaving hospital and going to the convalescent camp. The local ladies are very kind to the wounded. They bring us cigarettes etc and often take us out for motor drives - that is, those who are able to go. They also give us a concert once a week, which is very much appreciated. It makes you think you are back home again. The nirses and doctors are very good to us, so you see we are not doing so badly".

Maheno, the steamship whose hull now lies rusting on the beach at Fraser Island, was used by New Zealand as a hospital ship in World War 1. It was caught in a winter cyclone while being towed to Japan for scrap metal and grounded at Cathedral Beach, Fraser Island, on the 8th of July, 1935. Today the S.S. Maheno is a popular tourist attraction.