William Joshua Hodgkinson was the husband of Frances Hodgkinson, of Longsight, Manchester. He enlisted into the East Lancashire Regiment and volunteered for airborne forces.

Private Hodgkinson successfully completed his glider training and was posted to 2nd (Airborne) Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment, and took part in Operation Market Garden (Arnhem).

Pte Hodgkinson was killed in action, aged 32, on 21 September 1944 and was given a field burial near the junction of Utrechtseweg and Hoofdlaan, Oosterbeek, and was re-interred to Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery on 6 September 1945.