Private George Hogg

Private George Hogg, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry ( Eastern Ontario Regiment ). He died from wounds in Belgium in No 10 Field Ambulance Dressing Station  on 31st October 1917, aged 29. He was the son of Eliza and the late Ralph Hogg of 18 Ness Street, Berwick and is buried in Oxford Road Cemetery. He was born in Berwick in March 1882 and had served in the 2nd Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers before emigrating to Canada. There he was employed as a boilermaker before enlisting in August 1914 and crossing to France on 20th December 1914. In February 1915 he was hospitalised with Enteric fever but rejoined his comrades in 25th April in time to take part in the Battle of Second Ypres specifically the action at Frezenberg and was slightly wounded by shrapnel during the fierce fighting at Bellewardae Ridge. He also fought at Mount Sorrel and at Coucelette on the Somme on 15th September 1916 where he was wounded again. Again he returned to the front and fought at the Battle of the Ancre Heights and again at Vimy Ridge in April 1917. During the Third Battle of Ypres he was mortally wounded by a shell splinter near St. Jan whilst drinking from a water tank and died in the Dressing Station. His Headstone is inscribed ” Father In Thy Heavenly Keeping We Leave Our Dear Beloved Son Sleeping”. The photographs show the dreadful battlefield conditions where the incessant shelling had destroyed the fragile Flanders drainage systems.