The youngest to die in the war were often served in ship crews. For example, George Edward Johnson,George Edward Plewes and Vincent Michael Nolanwere all lost on different ships in 1917. Each was only 14 years old when they died. Over 1,200 Hull sailors died in the war. One of many sad stories to tell wasLeonard Barmby, from 65 Kimberley Street, who drowned on his 16th Birthday, on the 24th October 1916.
The oldest Hull Skipper to die, was probably Charles Frederick Dix, Captain of the Steam Trawler, ‘TORS’, lost on the 30th July 1915. He was 67 years old and lived with his wife Mildred Dix, at 57 Park Street. The ship struck a mine off Spurn Point with the loss of eight lives.
Joseph William Atkinson, Chief of the Steamship ‘TUMMELL’ (Hull). He was lost at sea on the 24th February 1916, aged 64 years. The ship was on a voyage from Grimsby to Tréport with a cargo of coal, and was sunk by a mine from the German submarine UC -5 (Ulrich Mohrbutter), 7 miles south of the Kentish Knock. 9 persons were lost.
Steward, Ted Proctor was lost on the Hull ship, ‘ARRO’ on 1st August 1916, aged 66. He lived with his wife Sara Ann (nee Frankish), at 75 Hawthorne Avenue.
Abel Webber, was also 66 years old, when he was lost on the ‘JAFFA’ on 2nd February 1918. She was sunk by submarine UB30, in the English Channel, from Boulonge to Southampton, with the loss of ten lives.
The Hull memorial records twenty other Hull sailors who died aged 60 or above. Another 168 Hull sailors lost were aged over 50.
