Captain Peter Hodge MBE Master Mariner DMS Shipping

Born 13th August 1941 the last but one in a family of 10 children. His father was a butcher and a Ships Chandler and he grew up living on the river’s edge and from a very early age wanted to be a Ship’s Pilot.

He became a Ship’s Captain and then was appointed Ship’s Pilot in Bristol at the age of 26 years, the second youngest ever and did this job bringing very large vessels up to Bristol centre for many years. He left when Bristol port was closed,

Peter ran a fleet of lorries then took a degree in maritime studies at Cardiff and Plymouth Universities when he was in his 30’s not knowing what an O level was he completed the course gaining a prize for his work and the course is now open to non-graduates. He was given the job of sorting the cement crisis in Nigeria and, after this, worked for OSA, a German firm in the Off Shore industry in London until his wife was ill with cancer. After her death he ran a private hire service.

From his early 20’s he researched Bristol shipping becoming an expert in this and the second world war. He was not a veteran but valued his freedom and after the war helped Veteran Peter Creed set up Bristol Veterans Society as the second branch of the Association and thereafter worked tirelessly raising funds for them for the rest of his life taking several positions in the branch. He had met Lady Pamela Mountbatten Hicks whilst doing research in London and persuaded her to become the Patron of the branch which she took very seriously, often attending his parades. 

For the £500,000 he raised for the 65th anniversary for the Bristol Veterans he received the MBE from her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle on 12th June 2010. He continued to attend meetings of the branch until his death in 2019.

Captain Peter Hodge MBE