Basil Rayner Hodder (1894-1916) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree

Basil Rayner Hodder

Born 7 May 1894 in Longburn, Manawatu-Wanganui, New Zealand

Ancestors

Son of Thomas Rayner Hodder and Emma Marion (Crump) Hodder

Brother of Mary Russell (Hodder) Bennett, Eric Malcolm Hodder, Lorna Mavis Hodder, Maurice Richmond Hodder and Alan Keith Hodder

Died 15 Sep 1916 at age 22 in France

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Profile last modified 22 Jan 2023 | Created 2 Dec 2017

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Biography

Basil Hodder is an Anzac who served in World War One.

Basil was born in 1894. On his mother's side, he was a descendant of the early missionaries, John Crump and Thomas Buddle; and on his father's side, a great-nephew of Mathew Henry Hodder, co-founder of the publishing house of Hodder & Stoughton.

Educated at Palmerston North High School and Nelson College where he was in the Cadets, a form of compulsory military training in New Zealand. From 12 to 14 years of age, boys were enrolled in the Junior Cadets, Senior cadets operated in the High Schools and Grammar Schools from 14 to 18, and from there young meant were attached to a Territorial Unit until they were 21years of ager (later extended to 25 years) and then were posted to the Reserve until they were 30. Territorial soldiers were liable for service in New Zealand only. Only those who volunteered for service overseas would be enlisted in New Zealand's Expeditionary Force for WW1. Conscription would be introduced later in the war.^[1]

Basil was a farmer working at Kohuratahi for Ewen McGregor when he enlisted. He was just under 5'5" tall, weighed 10st.3lbs. had a dark complexion, brown hair and brown eyes and told the recruiting officer that he was a Methodist.

He enlisted with B Company 2nd Battalion of the 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade and embarked 9th October 1915 in the troopship Tahiti, one of four troopships that left in convoy on the 14th February, the Maunganui, Tahiti and Aparima carrying 3rd Reinforcements and the Warrimoo, the 1st Maori Contingent. They disembarked in Egypt 15th November 1915 and after a time at Ismailia, they embarked at Alexandria embarked for France on the 6th April 1916.

The 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade fought on the Western Front in the battle of the Somme of 1916 where losses were extraordinarily heavy and battle field promotions common, he was promoted to Corporal on the 10th September 1916. Five days later he was dead, killed in action on the 15th September 1916. Basil Rayner was 23 years old.

Buried in the cemetery: A.I.F. Burial Ground, Flers, France : Cemetery Ref: I. E. 22.