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Hull lost 68 fishing vessels in the First World War. Here are a few. On February 19th, 1917, the Hull fishing trawler, ‘HALCYON’ was torpedoed by the German submarine U-71 (Hugo Schmidt), off Butt of Lewis. The following 11 persons were lost. CREW FV HALCYON BLAND, J W , Skipper, Halcyon, †19/02/1917, Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial DAVIDSON, D , … Read more

The steamer ‘ROMEO’, James Neale, master, left Scapa on 23 February 1918 bound for Liverpool. She was on Admiralty charter for carrying meat and provisions to the Fleet, but was returning to Liverpool in ballast after having called in at Stornoway, remaining there for six days. She was equipped with a twelve pound gun for defence … Read more

  ‘DIDO’  was a British Merchant steamer of 4,769grt. On the 26th February 1916 when on route from Hull for India, she hit a mine, when 4 miles NNE from Spurn Light Vessel, North Sea. 28 lives were lost, including Master. Owned by Wilson Line, Hull.  While lying at anchor at 6.15 a.m. during gale … Read more

Nearly 250 Hull men died in the First World War serving with the Royal Navy. Eleven men sank with HMS Good Hope, on the 1st November 1914. Ten died when HMS ‘Bulwark’, mysteriously exploded in the River Medway, on the 26th November 1914. Fifty Eight Hull men died at the Battle of Jutland on the 31st May 1916, … Read more

Hull has historically been a recruiting ground for the Royal Marines, who are world famous for fighting ‘On Land and Sea’. Thirty Seven Royal Marines from Hull died in the First World war, and another thirty Hull men died serving with the Royal Navy Division. At the start of the war there were between 20-30,000 … Read more

The Merchant Navy descibes Britain’s commercial ships and crews. It has existed throughout British history, and expanded greatly with the growth of the British Empire, and the resulting increase in trade. At the start of the war Britain controlled over 40% of the world’s merchant shipping. This proved vital during the First World War, in … Read more

The Steamship ‘CALYPSO’ was a 2,876grt British Merchantship built in 1904 by Earle’s SB. & Eng. Co., Ltd., Hull and owned by T. Wilson, Sons & Co., Ltd., Hull . There was accommodation for 57-1st, 44-2nd and 863-3rd class passengers.Taken up by the Admiralty in November 1914, she was renamed HMS CALYX and armed with … Read more

  The ‘ZARA’ was a 1,331-ton cargo-passenger ship that measured: 257.0 x 35.2. Wm. Hamilton & Co., Port Glasgow built and completed her as Yard No.130 in June 1897 for Bailey & Leetham, Ltd., Hull. In 1903 she was owned by T. Wilson, Sons & Co., Ltd., Hull. In 1917 the registered owner was Ellerman’s Wilson Line, Ltd., … Read more

The Trawler ‘EGRET‘ was  Launched on 30/09/1898; It was originally a Hull registered trawler (H.21) and owned by Great Northern Steamship Fishing Co., Hull; Requisitioned by the Admiralty in 1918, the Vessel was torpedoed and sunk without warning, 2 miles E x N of Spurn Light vessel; 11 lives were lost including the Master. LOST … Read more

Hull provided experienced sailors and a large number of ships to the war effort. They served in all the World’s Seas. Hull ships Crew’s often contained many sailors from abroad, who lived either on board or around the docks of Hull. Some of these overseas seamen are remembered here:- Emanuel KARIOTHIS, from Crete, Greece, lost on … Read more