Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
Born: 26th September 1912
Story
Roy Hodgetts was the son of James Hodgetts (1881-1960) and Sarah Jane Connell (1883-1969), better known as Jim and Sally, and he was born in Castleford. Roy worked in various industries including coalmining at Glasshoughton and Pontefract Collieries and then at Fryston Colliery where he was still working at the outbreak of war. In 1943, Roy transferred to the Yorkshire Copper Works, Stourton, again a reserved occupation, where he did various jobs including working on the acid and vitriol bosh. No protection was provided against acid spills and splashes which was a bone of contention with the workers, who, although working hard for the war effort, thought that they at least deserved to be provided with adequate protective clothing.
When Roy left the Copperworks in 1944, he was called up, and did his basic training at Catterick Camp before joining the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME), working as a Motor Assembler, which included tank maintenance, and testing the wading vehicles (DUKWs) for use on D-Day. He subsequently worked in the messing stores and office until he was demobbed in 1947. Whilst in the REME, Roy married Ida Toft, in 1946.
As he wasn’t classed as medically A1, Roy didn’t serve overseas. He was stationed at Fulford near York, Merstham, Caterham and Guildford, Surrey. Both York and Guildford suffered heavy bombing raids and Roy lost many friends when Guildford was bombed.
Whilst in Merstham, Roy’s barracks were in a large old house, Rockshaw House. Canadian soldiers had moved out before the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers moved in, and left behind them bayonet damage to the wooden panelling and other decorative features of the house.
Whilst he was in the REME, Roy’s nicknames were “Yorkie” and “Pop” which related to the county of his birth and the fact that he was in his early thirties, whilst the majority were conscripts in their teens and early twenties.
Whilst serving in the messing office, Roy was asked to check that the large boiler used for cooking porridge was working. When he looked inside, the surface of the water was swimming with Black Clock beetles so he emptied out the water and refilled the boiler. Next morning because the water had been changed, the porridge wasn’t ready in time for breakfast. Apparently the cooks usually came in and scooped the insects off the top of the water and then added in the oats. The men, including Roy, had often speculated on what the black bits in the porridge they were eating could be. Little did they know that they were eating bits of insects. After the incident of the boiler, Roy never again had porridge for breakfast.
Roy forged many lasting friendships during his time in the REME, and the family kept in contact with some of those friends, one in particular John (Jack) Sheard and his wife Dolly who lived in Fulford, for many years until Roy passed away in 1981 at the age of 68.
Kippax Connections
Roy and Ida’s son, Roy, and daughter, Christine (Wadsworth) both live in Kippax. Their son, Roy, has lived here for 40 years. Ida Toft’s great, great grandfather, William Toft, married Mary Atock here in 1801, and another of Ida’s great, great, grandfathers, Charles Smales, was born here. He also married Hannah Farrer in Kippax on 26th February 1823, and they had Ida’s great-grandfather, James Smales, in 1824.
According to a cousin, Ida’s father Arthur Toft, sometimes played the organ at a Kippax church, when he was a young man, but it is unclear which Church.
Kippax Roll of Honour 