Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Thomas Hodson, an iron stone labourer, born 1866 in Sawtry, Hunts., and his wife Mary Ann Hodson (nee Hill, married q3 1886 in the Melton Mowbray, Leics. district), born 1869 in Scalford, Leics. George Harold was born on the 10th January 1889 in Scalford, Leics., he had one sibling, a brother Ernest Austin, born 1891 in Scalford, Leics., in April 1891 the family home was at Sandy Lane, Scalford, Leics. In March 1901 George was a schoolboy and was residing in the family home at Sandy Lane, Scalford, Leics., together with his father, an ironstone labourer, his mother and siblings, Ernest, a schoolboy, Arthur, a schoolboy, born 1893, Harry, a schoolboy, born 1895, Mabel Annie, a schoolgirl, born 1897, Rosa, born 1898 and Ethel, born 1900, all his siblings were born in Scalford, Leics. In April 1911 George was employed as an ironstone quarryman and was residing in the family home at Scalford, Leics., together with his father, an ironstone quarryman, his mother and siblings, Ernest, a brickyard worker, Arthur, a farm servant, Harry, a farm servant, Maud, born 1904, Harold, born 1905, Edith, born 1909 and Violet Annie, born 1911, the latter four siblings were all born in Scalford, Leics. George enlisted into the Royal Navy to serve during the period of hostilities on the 15th August 1916, and he was allocated the service number J/56978 in Portsmouth, Hants. His medical examination recorded that he was 5 foot 5¼ inches in height and he had a chest measurement of 40 inches, his hair colour was brown and he had blue eyes, his complexion was described as fresh, it was noted that he had a scar in the centre of his forehead, a mole on his left cheek, a scar on the left side little finger, and a birth mark close to his navel, he gave his trade or calling as platelayer. His record of service began when he joined HMS Victory I as an Ordinary Seaman on the 15/8/16 – 28/9/16, when he was transferred to the Trawler Section as a deckhand.