Sir Edward Cooper Hodge

Edward Cooper Hodge was commanding officer of the 4th DG from October 1848 to August 1859 and Colonel of the regiment from January 1874 until his death on December 11th 1894. In both cases, he succeeded Colonel Chatterton. He was perhaps the most famous CO because he commanded the 4th throughout the Crimean War and led the regiment in the immortal Charge of the Heavy Brigade at Balaclava. He was a short man, nick-named 'Little Hodge' but was charismatic and fair in his dealings with the men. The army suffered terribly in the Crimea even before hostilities began for the heavy cavalry. The 4th and 5th Dragoon Guards were at Varna for two months during which time cholera had so decimated the men that the two regiments were combined unde Col Hodge's command. They found Little Hodge a great improvement on their own useless CO, Le Marchant son of the famous John Gaspard Le Marchant (1766-1812) who founded Sandhurst. TSM Franks of the 5th DG wrote "Col Hodge was one of the most kindly and genial of men and he took every pains to show us that we had his sympathy."

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