A special ceremony will be held on Australia Day to recognise the brave acts and dedication of a group of soldiers who assisted the people of Singleton during the great flood of 1955. Louise Nichols spoke to retired Colonel Jim Hodgson about the experience and his determination to see the men formally recognised.
THE word duty means a great deal to 88-year-old, retired Colonel Jim Hodgson and his age will not prevent him ensuring he carries out what he considers is still his duty to his men.
This call to duty all started 57 years ago when Mr Hodgson and his 16 men from C Company, 2nd Infantry, City of Newcastle Battalion, performed an act of great courage when they risked their lives to save people from flood waters at Dalwood and then Singleton during the famous 1955 flood.
At the time Mr Hodgson wrote to the mayor of Singleton Councillor Clive Burke recommending his men for a commendation for outstanding services to the community.
That recognition will finally be given at a formal presentation , part of the community celebration of Australia Day, at the civic centre.
Australia Day committee chairperson Cr Lee Gallagher said the recognition was long overdue.
“This should have been done decades ago but sometimes these things can be overlooked, especially in times of emergency,” Cr Gallagher said.
Mr Hodgson is delighted the presentation is happening.
After service in the second world war Mr Hodgson saw service with the United Nations working in India and Pakistan and then he saw active service in Vietnam.
“I feel responsible for my men and I feel I should have looked into the matter much earlier but I simply presumed they had received their just rewards,” Mr Hodgson said.
He was made aware of the fact that no certificates had been awarded when speaking to Jim Comerford the retired Miners Federation, northern vice president, at an event to mark the 50 th anniversary of the flood.
“Once I became aware of the oversight I have been working ever since to ensure those brave men received a certificate,” he said.
“I will be a new man once the men receive their certificates.”
Of the 16 men involved, 10 have been traced, and of those two are now deceased and their surviving relatives have been contacted.
Mr Hodgson would love to find the remaining six families.
“These were young national servicemen most aged 18 to 19 years from around the local area – locals told me people from Cessnock did not leave the area but we have found them in Queensland and in Canberra so that throws that theory out the window, ”he said.
“Watching last year’s Queensland floods made me more determined to find the families and gain recognition for those brave men.”
Soldiers discover new rowing skill
WOULD-BE rescuers were faced with roaring flood waters and the only way to reach stranded families was by row boat. Of the 17 men looking to save lives none were great oarsmen.
This was the situation facing Jim Hodgson and his men on the night of February 25, 1955, when he was sent to rescue families trapped by floodwaters at Dalwood.
Earlier in the day, the now retired colonel, was asked to assist in the flood rescue effort so he called for volunteers among his young national servicemen in C Company, 2nd Infantry, City of Newcastle Battalion based at Cessnock.
Local police were forced to call for army assistance during the height of the flood as their services were overwhelmed due to the scale of the 1955 flood.
“There were no great rowers amongst us.
“I had at least been in a surf boat at the Cooks Hill Surf Club but I had no real experience and we were faced with a mile trip in the raging floodwaters to rescue people at Dalwood,” Mr Hodgson said.
But against the odds Mr Hodgson and his men successfully rescued all the 19 people stranded, including babies and older residents.
And when they were heading back to Cessnock the call came from Singleton for emergency assistance.
So the group headed north and mounted a second rescue mission at Singleton. First they established wireless communication between the town and the Singleton army base and then they started rescuing civilians trapped in the flood.
“The men were risking their lives for others and they were only young men aged 18 to 19 years so it was with some trepidation that I asked the men to undertake this duty,” Mr Hodgson said.
“On our first trip from the base into town the boat got caught on a telegraph wire and we almost sank before we could cut the wire but we got through and began our rescue work.
“We worked for seven days in our flood rescue effort that also included setting up a food and clothing distribution centre at the Albion Hotel in Singleton and cleaning up the town.”
Mr Hodgson was so concerned about the welfare of his men that he held a roll call three and four times a day to ensure they were all safe.
“It was hard to keep track of my men with them working at various areas but we all came back to base, he said.
“They were so young but they did an incredible job,” Mr Hodgson said.
Honour Roll
qSergeant I. R. Clark
qSergeant C. V. Merrick
qSergeant H. O. Farnham
qCorporal D. Pascoe
qCorporal R. C. Kerr
qCorporal T. Anstey
qCorporal J. Parsons
qCorporal K. Reid
qPrivate J. Morrison
qPrivate K. Pearce
qPrivate G. M. Adams
qPrivate C. Hutchinson
qPrivate J. W. Pettigrew
qPrivate A. L. Apthorpe
qPrivate C. V. Bailey
qPrivate C. L. Dorney
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