Kingston upon Hull War Memorial 1914 - 1918
The story of Hull in World War 1
The Hull Memorial remembers the 1,200 sailors from Hull and abroad, who died during the First World War.
The ongoing peril of unexploded sea mines would claim the lives of Hull fisherman, long after the war had ended. For example, the Hull trawler ‘Gitano’ struck a mine and was sunk with all hands on the 23rd December 1918.
The Hull trawler ’Scotland’ struck a mine on the 13th March 1919, killing seven Hull men.
Two days later the steam ship ‘Durban’ exploded‘, killing another eight Hull sailors.
The ‘Isle of Man’ (Hull) exploded on the 14th December 1919, killing seven Hull fishermen, and the steam ship ‘Barbados’ exploded on the 5th November 1920, taking another ten Hull men. These included the two Weaver brothers killed on the same day.
Many of these seaman had survived the war, only to be its victims after whilst trying to earn a living for their families. In all over 1,200 Hull men died at sea during the First World War and the majority have no known grave.
Another tragedy was the loss of the fishing trawler ‘Magneta’ on the 31st January 1922, during the Russian Civil war. While being placed under false arrest, by the Russian authorities, the ‘Magneta’ was dragged into a port unsuitable for anchorage, and wrecked on a reef, during a hurricane. Nine Hull fishermen were lost. The arrest of the ‘Magneta’ became a major diplomatic incident and Russia finally paid some compensation in 1924. The nine Hull sailors from the ‘Magneta’ were buried at Murmansk by the Greek Orthodox Church. They are remembered on the Hull Memorial as one of the last casualties of war.
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
The following are examples of some Hull Seamen, not recorded by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission:- Fireman, Joseph Smith, lost at sea, on the Steam Ship, ‘Hildago’ on the 28th August 1917, aged 27. Cook, George Nunn, lost on the ‘Montebello’ on 21st June 1918. He was a 32 year old fisherman. Son of Sarah Nunn, 95 … Read more
