Mystery of the WWII pocket watch that 'stopped a bullet'... and may have saved the life of its RAF servicewoman owner
Property of Pte Hodgson, a woman who served in auxiliary core of RAF
Her unit delivered newly built planes to military bases in Britain in 1941
A military charity launched a worldwide hunt today to track down the owner of a damaged pocket watch which is believed to have saved the life of an RAF servicewoman in World War Two - by stopping a bullet.
The solid silver timepiece, which was made in the Victorian age, was discovered in a box of donated items left anonymously at a forces charity shop.
A perfect bullet-shaped crater is evident in the protective flip cover of the watch which also damaged the 11’clock marking on the clock face.
The case of the watch is inscribed with the name 'Pte Hodgson' alongside the military number 2055250.
The final words on the case read: 'Farnboro [sic] Hants.'
Official military records reveal Pte Hodgson was a woman who served in the auxiliary core of the RAF which was responsible for delivering newly built planes to military bases across Britain in 1941.
A source at the Ministry of Defence said no further information regarding the identity of the servicewoman could be provided without a relevant birth or death certificate.
It is believed Pte Hodgson came under enemy fire while inside the plane.
Military experts have identified the bullet which caused the dent as a 30mm calibre round - ammunition used in the MK108 auto-cannon which was mounted on German aircraft fighter planes.
It is believed the watch saved the life of whoever was wearing it after the round ricocheted off the watch - which was traditionally worn in the breast pocket of service personnel.
The watch was found dumped in the bottom of a box which was donated to the Forces Support charity, in Leominster, Herefordshire, on Saturday, March 3.
Founder and chief executive of the charity, Bill McCance said: 'It is most remarkable - it has probably saved someone’s life.
'There’s a strong possibility that it has come from a mid-air fight rather than being fired ground-to-air.
'It’s hit the watch straight on and the case has taken the full impact - it would only have done this if the person had been on the ground or if it had been air to air.
'I’ve never had anything like it in 28 years in the second-hand trade, not at auction or in a shop window.
'After taking advice from two military experts including a former SAS soldier, it looks like the bullet has hit the watch and shattered the enamel, the copper case and the workings.
'They both agreed that it had stopped something with quite a high velocity.
'When the actual story comes out, I think it will be quite a romantic one, especially as women in the auxiliary core did fly planes around the country to deliver them once they were built.
'It could have saved the life of someone who was delivering one of the planes.'
It is also possible the watch was given to Pte Hodgson’s squaddie sweetheart whose life could have been saved during a bloody frontline battle.
Mr McCance, 45, added: 'It could have belonged to someone’s sweetheart - the person may have moved on since but I’m sure the memory is still very strong.
'It would be nice to get it back to the family of the person that it saved.
'I’ve read about rare finds like this in the paper but never actually discovered one myself.
'It’s the sort of thing you see in a film, not in a box of bric-a-brac.'
The charity is now desperately trying to track down either the owner of the watch or the person who donated it.
Mr McCance said: 'It isn’t the sort of thing we would look to sell, so if the owner doesn’t come forward we will probably have it on display in the shop or on the counter.
'The story should really still be alive in someone’s heart - it’s not the sort of thing you would hear about and forget in a hurry.'
Do you know the full identity of the watch owner? If so, please contact us at
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