[1][2] His university studies were interrupted by the First World War, during which he served with the 7th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment in Gallipoli and Mesopotamia, being wounded several times.

As a consequence, that year, he was made a King's Counsel at the Lord Chancellor's invitation, was appointed to the High Court shortly after, and received the customary knighthood.

On 1 October 1960, he was appointed Lord of Appeal in Ordinary and was created a life peer with the title Baron Hodson, of Rotherfield Greys in the County of Oxford.

"[2] In Shaw v DPP, (1961) UKHL 1 rendered on 4 May 1961, Lord Hodson said, I am wholly satisfied that there is a common law misdemeanour of conspiracy to corrupt public morals.

Their elder son, Lt. Hubert Blake Hodson, was killed in action in Libya on 22 January 1941 while serving with the 9th Queen's Royal Lancers.