James Percy Hodgson was born in Clifton Hill in 1897 to Joseph Hodgson (an engineer) and Alice Hodgson (nee Lyman). There were 3 brothers, one (Joseph Lyman) who also enlisted for WWI, and 2 sisters. James was working as a junior carpet salesman when he enlisted, aged 18 years on 15 September 1915. He was senior cadet at school for 4 years.

James spent 2 months with the 6th Training Battalion at Seymour and a further month training at Broadmeadows. On 5 January, 1917 he embarked on the HMAT Africa for Egypt. Late February he spent a week in the hospital at Heliopolis with bronchitis, then transferred to the 6th Training Battalion Camp at Zeitour in Cairo. He was taken on strength into the 23rd Battalion, embarking for Marseilles from Alexandria on the HMAT Lake Michigan to join the conflict at the Western Front. In May 1917, whilst the battalion were at Fort Romper, James received 2 days field punishment for hesitating to obey an order. On 5 August 1916 he was reported wounded in action. The next 6 months were a period a great uncertainty for his family who had last heard from James on 16 July. After a Court of Enquiry in February 1917, his family were finally informed that he was Killed in Action on 28 July 1916 at the Somme. There was only one witness to his death who reported to the Red Cross in April 1917 that he has seen James killed outright as he was blown to pieces by a shell. The witness reported him as a 'small, thin fellow', creating further doubts for his family who described him as a 'tall thin fellow'. In March 1918, his father finally received a Certificate of Death for his son.
 James Percy Hodgson is commemorated at the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Viller-Bretonneux, France, MR 26, Part III, G-J.