Aged 26 years
Died 4th February 1944
Commemorated at Rushden Cemetery
Grave WG5.
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Evening Telegraph, 9th February 1944, extracted by Pete Inns, transcribed by Kay Collins
 Rushden Airman's death in Scotland
Well known in Rushden as an agent for the Britannic Insurance Co. before joining the RAF in June 1940, A/C2 Edward Sidney (Ted) Hodgkins has met his death while on war Service in Scotland. Aircraftsman Hodgkins was 26 years of age and his wife (nee Miss Ruby Houghton) and 11 week old son Terrance live at 82 Newton-rd, Rushden, which is also the residence of his mother, the widow of Mr A Hodgkins. Also bereaved are two elder brothers, Mr. A. R. Hodgkins and Mr. H. Hodkins (who is in the Army), and three sisters, Miss D. Hodgkins, Mrs. A. Jones and Mrs. W. Leggett.
The body was expected to arrive in Rushden to-day (Wednesday) and the burial will take place in Rushden cemetery at 3pm on Thursday.
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| Rushden Echo & Argus, 11th February 1944, transcribed by Clive Wood
Rushden Aircraftsman's death in Scotland
Burial in home town
Well known in Rushden as an agent for the Britannic Insurance Co. before joining the RAF in June 1940, A/C2 Edward Sidney (Ted) Hodgkins has met his death while on war Service in Scotland. Aircraftsman Hodgkins was 26 years of age and his wife (nee Miss Ruby Houghton) and 11 week old son Terrance live at 82 Newton-rd, Rushden, which is also the residence of his mother, the widow of Mr A Hodgkins, also bereaved are two brothers and three sisters. Funeral took place on Thursday afternoon. The Vicar of St Peters Church, the Rev E Hirst, conducting the service in the cemetery chapel. The coffin was draped with the Union Jack.
Numerous floral tributes were received from the family and two from friends at the Air station, one from the British Legion and one from the Britannic Insurance Co.
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From information received from Kenny Walker of Edinburgh, Oct 2011, edited by John Collins
We now know that AC2 Ted Hodgkins 1156358 died in a plane crash at RAF Drem airfield. Ted was based at RAF Dirleton Radio Station, just north of Drem, not far from Edinburgh. The aircraft was scheduled to fly back to Station 111 (RAF Thurleigh), not far from Rushden and he was going on leave and had authority to fly. The aircraft was a B17 Flying Fortress (4231715) from the 306 BG, 423 BS based at Thurleigh and was on a cross-country exercise. It struck an aircraft shelter pen on take-off and crashed in a field adjacent to the airfield. There were no survivors.
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