He had secured his toll of prisoners as ordered, without
sustaining a single casualty, and had inflicted other casualties on the
enemy, for his men had emptied rifles and Lewis guns at the few flying
Boche and into the copse, so he gave the word to withdraw. The men had
crawled out at the beginning like fighting cocks, but they came back
like roaring lions. They were naturally in a great state of excitement,
because it was their first venture of this sort, and it had been
crowned, after a glorious five minutes' rough and tumble, with
unqualified success.
2nd-Lt. Hodge was decorated with the Military Cross for this feat--the
first M.C. in the division in France--and this was really the beginning
of a brilliant career for him as a soldier. He was eventually
transferred as a Company Commander to the 5th East Lancs. with whom he
obtained the D.S.O. From there he progressed to Major with the L.F's.,
and finally finished the war as Commanding Officer of the 8th
Manchesters, leading back the cadre of that battalion to Ardwick Green
in March, 1919. He is unreservedly one of the officers whom the Fleur de
Lys are proud to claim.
Sgt. McHugh and Ptes. McLean and Braithwaite received Military Medals on
this occasion, and they also were glad to know that they opened the long
list of decorations that the battalion was to obtain in France.
I have spent some little time on this "Wigan Copse" raid because it is
an important event in the history of the battalion.
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