Kingston upon Hull War Memorial 1914 - 1918
The story of Hull in World War 1
Not all the deaths were on the battlefield. The cemeteries of Hull contain hundreds of First World War casualties. Hull Northern cemetery for example, contains 114 Commonwealth War Graves, Hull Western cemetery conatins another 395. Hedon Road cemetery in East Hull includes 213, World War 1 graves. The churches in Hull and the surrounding towns and villages also contain other graves from the Great War. While most of these are local men, they also include men from other parts of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, who died in the many Hull hospitals set up during the war. Many died at home in training, or accidents, of wounds, illness and influenza. Some while boarding ships and loading cargo. Others were sailors washed ashore or repatriated prisoners who used Hull as the main port of return. Other casulaties buried in Hull do not appear in any war military records, particularly those discharged from the army during the war, or those who died after, before being demobilized. Similarly, the numbers of Hull servicemen who committed suicide through disillusionment or temporary insanity, or through poverty and general hardship during the post war ‘Depression’ are another group of forgotten war casualties. They are buried in Hull and are forever linked to this City.
Private, Thomas E. Copson, of the Machine Gun Corps, had been a former prisoner of war. He committed suicide on the 11/02/1919, aged 33. Lieutenant, Arthur Franklin, was found dead in a pool of blood, in the waiting room at Worthing Railway station. He had a bullet wound to the head. (Hull Daily Mail 19/12/1919) … Read more
Not all deaths were a result of active service. Many deaths were caused by accidents or friendly fire in training. For example there were five fatal shootings and three serious injuries in August 1914, at the beginning of the war, all involving soldiers from Territorial regiments ar home. Three of the killings involved soldiers being … Read more
Rifleman, George William Harbron, was killed in action on the 6th June 1916, aged 20. He had served in France for 12 months and just returned from home leave. Within 24 hours he was killed by a shell burst in the trench. He was a former employee of the British Oil Cake Mills in Wincolmlee … Read more
Private, Ernest Barrass, who before the war had run the ‘Coach & Horses’ pub in Myton gate, died of gas wounds in Warrington on the 5th September 1919. He is buried in Hedon Road Cemetery.
Pte, Charles Arthur Lockton, of the Northumberland Fusiliers, had been diagnosed as ‘mentally unfit’ on the 15th May 1917. He was finally discharged from the Army on the 24th April 1918. He died in an asylum, aged 38, on the 13th November 1918, two days after the war ended. His wife Clara, who lived at … Read more
Sydney Herbert Cook, from 4 Baker Street had survived the sinking of HMS Cook on 15th August 1918. He died of severe burns in Harwich Hospital on the 20th August 1918.
Pte, Arthur North, from Walker Street, died of Gas poisoning on the 26th June 1916. He had received these wounds three weeks earlier on the 4th June. He had joined the 10th Hull Pals and was 26 years old.
Pte, Charles Henry Wilson, who had been discharged from the East Yorkshire Regiment in 1916, died of heart failure at home on the 19th May 1915.
Private, John Henry Brown, EYR Depot, died of Tuberculosis at home aged 29. He was the Son of William & Mary Elizabeth Brown from Dansom Lane. His younger brother James had been killed in 1916. Pte, George William Robinson, Royal Engineers, from 60 Ella Street, died of gas poisoning on the 30th June 1918. Private, SidneyJack from 1 … Read more
L/Cpl, John Arthur Settrington, 31025, 1st East Yorkshire Regiment, killed on the Somme, 26th September 1916, aged 24. He enlisted in December 1915 and was the Manager of the Boulevard Picture Palace. He was the son of John & Emily Settrington who lived at 3 Laurel Villas, Regent Street, Hull. He is commemorated at St … Read more
