Jack reminisces about interesting past (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Jack reminisces about interesting past

DURING his life so far Jack Hodder has seen it all, from the D-Day landings to holding an unbeaten record for boxing at the Bingham Hall and riding racehorses for some of the country's best trainers. This week the 83-year-old shared some of his memories with reporter Jenni Silver about how a miner's son from Newport, Wales became a six-times decorated war hero who rode the Queen Mother's horses for a living.

AS THE eldest of 14 children, Jack always knew he did not want to follow his father down the mines. So, at the age of seven, he announced he was going to be a jockey.

Jack explained how his lucky break came one Friday when he took a trip to the Labour Exchange and heard there was a job going as a stable boy at Percy Alden's stable.

The only catch was the stable was in Newmarket and he would have to travel there from Newport by himself - no mean feat for a young boy who could not read or write.

Jack said: "I was taken to the station and a label was pinned on my collar which said where I needed to go.

"There I was put on a train which would take me to Newmarket, but not being able to read or write each time the train stopped I would jump up, pull down my suitcases, which were nearly as big as me, and ask, 'Is this Newmarket?'"

Because he was so small, Jack started by riding ponies at the stables but his natural ability was soon spotted and he moved on to ride Mr Alden's race horses.

During his spare time he fell back on a sport he had loved since he was small - boxing.

He won the Stable Lads Boxing Championship two years in a row before the outbreak of the Second World War when he joined the RAF.

Jack carried on boxing during the war and became the RAF flyweight champion three years in a row.

He also managed to keep up his love of racing and when he was sent to North Africa he was based next to a racecourse and would get up at 4.30am to train the horses.

After Africa Jack was posted to Italy and then on to France for D-Day before reaching Holland and Germany.

For his actions he was awarded the Africa Star, the Italy Star, the France Start and the Germany Star. He also received the 1939-1945 Star and the War Service Medal.

The decorated hero moved to Cirencester soon after the war when he began boxing again to support his young family.

He fought at the Bingham Hall eight times and remained undefeated but retired after losing a fight in Gloucester.

Following the setback he went back to horses as a stable lad, the job he first had aged 14 at Newmarket.

Horses still remain a passion for Jack, who still lives in Siddington.

Nowadays his main focus is being a grandfather of four and great-grandfather of five.