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Edward Gilmore (Hughie) Dodd was the second of five sons born to Jabez Edward and Florence Wilson Dodd (nee Johnston). 

He came to the WA goldfields as a young boy of four years where he lived first at Coolgardie and later in 1899 at Brown Hill, Kalgoorlie. He was a good sportsman as a youth. In a footrace at 16, he won a gold medal. Les, Hughie's brother, bet money at the bookmakers on Hughie, and the boys won ten pounds. Disgusted with the gambling, their father took the boys back and made them give back the money! About 1910, Hughie played football with Perth League.

Hughie attended Brown Hill school and later the Kalgoorlie School of Mines, where he qualified as a Fitter and Turner, leaving formal education aged 14. When the family moved to Raglan Road, North Perth, Hughie completed his apprenticeship as an engineer with Hoskins' Foundry at Murray Street, Perth in 1914. In January 1916 he enlisted in the AIF after serving in the 84th infantry (a local militia group).

Hughie's army records state that he was 5'9" tall, with hazel eyes and brown hair. Enlisting as a private at 44 Depot, he soon 'made' sergeant with the No. 6 Tunnellers and was sent to France. His mission was to tunnel under German positions and blow them up, as the Germans listened for activity and reciprocated. Hughie brought home several brass German bomb casings, some of which he engraved and which are now family heirlooms.

Hughie's father kept the following undated newsclipping:

The Tunnellers As Engineers - Special Praise from Haig

London, Dec 5 1.20 am

Field-Marshall Sir Douglas Haig in a Special Order congratulates the mining and tunnelling units and says that they demonstrated a complete superiority over the Germans and achieved magnificent success at Messines; they prepared the offensive on the Somme and at Arras and Ypres and carried out dangerous tasks in removing enemy traps and mines on the roads, bridges and in the dug-outs. They have shown the highest qualities as engineers and fighting troops. Sir Douglas Haig specially mentions the Australian Electrical and Mechanical Mining and Boring company.

Hughie's records show repeated hospitalisations for treatment of trench fever, then tonsilitis. He was Phosgene gassed at Ypres and suffered the effects for the rest of his life. 

From June to September 1919, Hughie successfully completed a course on motor engineering at the Mansions Motor Training Garage in Westminster, London.

He married Alma Bona Whiskin (daughter of James [Mark] Whiskin and Mary [Elizabeth] Matthews) on 25 June 1921 at Angove Street Methodist Church, North Perth. Alma was born on 18 March 1898 and they had lived in the same street, Alma at 66 and Hughie at 125 Raglan Road.

Their first child, Joyce was born in 1922, followed by Alan in 1923. In the early years of their marriage they lived at 23 Albert Street, North Perth, before purchasing a half acre at Kadina Street from Alma's parents, in an attempt to stymie Brown Bros (milk vendors) who were wishing to expand. The couple lived in a tin shed on the Kadina Street property for 18 months, renting out Albert Street, but the tenants failed to keep up payments and they had to sell to Brown Bros anyway, moving back to Albert Street. They improved the property by installing an inside bathroom.

Alma's widowed brother, Mark Whiskin died in 1926. His son went to live with Alma's mother, and his daughter, Lil became part of Alma and Hughie's family. 

About 1935 they moved to Fothergill Street, North Fremantle, renting, then bought an existing property at View Terrace East Fremantle. 

Hughie was employed by the Metropolitan Water Supply as Engineer-in-Charge of the Fremantle branch. He was a logical man, thinking through any problem. Foremen and construction workers treated him with respect and affection, bringing him news of work and gifts when he was incapacitated. A kind, gentle person, Hughie was the hub of the Whiskin and Dodd families, helping with advice, tax returns and small loans. He had a dry, quiet sense of humour and a terrific general knowledge.

He was an understanding father and a kindly husband, taking the path of least resistance with Alma! As a father he was patient and a good teacher of sports (especially tennis), fishing and carpentry - the latter his only failure with Alan. 

Hughie died aged 63 on 27 November 1957 at the Repatriation General Hospital, Hollywood after a long illness. His ashes were interred at the foot of the Memorial Wall in the Western Australian Garden of Remembrance in Smyth Road, Nedlands. A bronze plaque was erected on wall 9, row F. 

The Funeral Notice for Hughie follows:

DODD: The Friends of the late Mr Edward Gilmore (Hughie) Dodd of 15 View Terrace, East Fremantle and formerly of the Metropolitan Water Supply, late 3rd Tunnellers and AMM and B Com 1st AIF are respectfully informed that a Service will be held in the Crematorium Chapel, Karrakatta at 4.15 o'clock this (Friday) afternoon. The Cortege will move from his late residence, 15 View Terrace, East Fremantle at 3.45 o'clock. HORACE L GREEN, Cottesloe Tel: F1681.

Hughie's grandson, Keith Hugh Dodd has a keen interest in military history. He transcribed Hughie's war diary, sending a transcript to the Australian War Memorial and donating the original to the Army Museum in Fremantle. In 2019 Keith visited Annequin, France to stand above the tunnels that Hughie served in during his time in France. The tunnels where Hughie was based run south from the Canal d'Aire (which is adjacent to the town of La Bassee) and the part that Hughie was in ends between the towns of Vermelles and Hulluch and on the outskirts of Hulloch.  The tunnels still exist and have been explored by the Durand Group: an organisation dedicated to the preservation of the history of the British and Commonwealth tunnellers of World War I.

Keith also visited the grave of Arthur Thomas James Wigzell, who appears in a photograph with Hughie. Arthur, a tunneller, was killed when he was hit by artillery fire while walking along the canal. 

Finally, Keith visited the Tunnellers' Memorial in the town of Givenchy-la-Basse. It is dedicated to British and Commonwealth Tunnellers and at this particular location William Hackett received the Victoria Cross - the only tunneller to do so.