Ernest (Gus) Hodgess (1929-2007)

A Royal Australian Navy cap was recently discovered during renovations at the historic Shorncliffe Railway Station, Brisbane. After decades buried under the station master’s building, the cap was faded and tattered, but a few cryptic clues remained: a seaman’s cap, World War Two, some letters in a name, most likely a local on leave. Sleuthing in the archives revealed the RAN cap belonged to Stoker Ernest (Gus) Hodgess from Margate. His family were surprised by the discovery which was essentially a time capsule in a nearby suburb. The cap is now being preserved by Queensland Rail and will be presented to them.