MOOSE JAW — Veteran Stanley Howard Hodgins donated his military uniforms to the Mortlach Museum in 2006, and nearly 20 years later, volunteers reconnected the man with that clothing as a birthday gift.
The village office received a call from Hodgins’ 27-year-old niece recently asking if the museum could photograph the clothing and send the pictures to the family, since the Second World War veteran had just turned 103 years old and was unable to visit himself, explained Pam Spier, the museum’s board chairwoman.
Continuing, Spier said that after taking the pictures, she spoke with the village administrator and expressed the desire to take the uniforms to Hodgins; the administrator agreed with the sentiment.
So, Spier arranged with Hodgins’ family to bring the military uniform, jacket and hat to his care home in Saskatoon. She, another museum volunteer and the town administrator drove to The Bridge City and spent an hour with the veteran and his daughter, Sarah Woo.
“It was wonderful,” Spier said about the visit, noting that Hodgins was sharp mentally for most of the conversation, while he discussed memories from his life and even tried on his uniform.
Hodgins served in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) as a navigator on a plane that transported supplies to the British in Burma.
Chuckling, she said the one thing that frustrated the veteran was that his hat did not fit anymore. She noted that this is likely because a mannequin had been wearing it for the past 20 years and had stretched it out.
Hodgins was also happy because Mortlach students created — and signed — a birthday card that thanked him for his service.
Spier said it was “a very, very rewarding experience” to visit Hodgins, show him his uniforms and spend time with him, while the hours-long drive was worth it.
“It was worth every minute of it just to see a man who had done so much and still is able to (function well),” she continued. “One-hundred-and-three (years old) is just amazing to begin with. And the fact he went overseas (and) he was a part of the war effort, we were really grateful to meet him.”
Chuckling, Spier added that the uniform is back on the mannequin, although undressing and re-dressing it was not easy.
Hodgins was quite pleased that the museum visited him, as he had been inquiring about his uniform since others wanted to see him wear it, said Woo, his daughter.
The veteran had initially asked his family if they would take him to Mortlach, but they were unable to fulfill his request, she continued. So, it was amazing that the trio from the village brought the clothing to him.
“I think he was more interested in talking about Mortlach than maybe the time in the war, just because they knew people he would have known there,” said Woo, noting his jacket didn’t fit as well since he was more stooped and paunchier than when he was in his early 20s.
Woo pointed out that Hodgins is a quiet man and doesn’t talk much, especially about his wartime experiences; this is partly because of his memory. However, because the RCAF turned 100 years old last year, he agreed to be interviewed for a documentary.
He was also interviewed during Saskatoon’s 2024 Remembrance Day service. That video is below and his interview can be found at the 33-minute mark.
The family rarely asked the veteran about his time in the air force, which was unfortunate since his memory has become poor and there are so few Second World War veterans left to speak, said Woo. However, about a decade ago, several granddaughters created reports for school about their grandfather based on their conversations with him, along with his diaries and photo albums.
Hodgins is still thrilled to have connections to the Mortlach area, since his siblings used to live there and in Moose Jaw — none are living now — and he would visit them, she said.
Woo added that the family is “extremely proud” of Hodgins’ service, is thrilled that he is being recognized for his wartime efforts and is pleased that the Assiniboia Legion — a community where he raised his family — will soon provide him with a 75-year pin.
