Our Losses
Over, 7,500 Hull men died in the First World War. Over 1,200 of these were sailors working with the fishing fleet, or serving with the Merchantile Marine, the Royal Navy and the Royal Navy Reserve. They carried out vital war work, bringing in supplies, transporting troops and minesweeping the seas
There were nearly another 1,500 men who were born in Hull, but who lived elsewhere. They died fighting for Australia, Canada, New Zealand and America. There are many others, who enlisted in Hull or who were associated with the City, but are not usually remembered on Hull war memorials. As Hull had four large hospitals and was the port of entry for repatriated prisoner of wars, servicemen from all over the world are buried in Hull. The Kingston Upon Hull Memorial aims to remember all those with a Hull connection who died in the First World War.
There are over a hundred families on the Hull Memorial that lost two or more of their family. Sometimes fathers, sons and brothers were lost on the same day. Some families lost three sons, other Hull families lost four sons, including all their children in the First World War. At least one in six Hull families lost a direct relative. Many others would lose close friends, work colleagues or others known to them. Each death was irreplaceable and an individual tragedy for someone.
Unfortunately, not all deaths were recorded in official casualty figures, particularly if soldiers died of sickness, accidents or were discharged home with wounds, of illness. By 1924 the Ministry of Pensions reported that there were 20,000 war wounded living in Hull. Although they survived the war, they are rarely recorded on war memorials. What follows here are snippets of some of those people who died, whose deaths were reported in the local newspapers.
Moore
L/Cpl Arthur Moore died on his 21st Birthday on the 1st July 1916. He had originally joined the Hull Pals as number 122, but was transferred to the Accrington Pals instead. He died with the 11th East Lancashire Battalion, on the first day of the battle of the Somme and is buried at Serre. His … Read more
Jollands
Cpl, James Jollands, of the 1/4th EYR, lived at 151 Sculcoates Lane. He had only been abroad for 10 days before he was killed on 5th May 1915.
Owens
Gunner, Frank William Owens, had just returned to Flanders after 10 days leave when he was killed on 31st July 1917. He had worked for his Father’s Grocery business at 43 Brunswick Avenue and he is commemorated on the Hull Grammar School Roll of Honour.
Owens
Pte, Francis Knaggs, 1st EYR was killed on the 20th September 1914. He died on the same day with seven other Hull men from the 1st East Yorkshires, halting the German advance at the Marne. Casualties continued. Pte, Charles Hodges, 1st EYR, from 8 Buckingham Street was killed on the 18th October 1914, aged 21.
Knaggs
Pte, Francis Knaggs, 1st EYR was killed on the 20th September 1914. He died on the same day with seven other Hull men from the 1st East Yorkshires, halting the German advance at the Marne. Casualties continued. Pte, Charles Hodges, 1st EYR, from 8 Buckingham Street was killed on the 18th October 1914, aged 21.
Brook
Pte, William Brook, from Regent Street, aged 18, had served only 9 weeks at the Front before he was killed on 24th August 1915.
Lockwood
Pte, Mark Lockwood, Coldstream Guards, came from Bright Street. He was one of many Professional Soldiers from Hull, despatched with the original British Expeditionary Force. He died at the Marne on the 9th September 1914, halting the German advance.
WW1 Suicides
Sapper, Joseph Burn, Royal Engineers, of 18, Grove Terrace, Spyvee Street, Hull, had served in France, before being posted to East Africa. He committed suicide, by cutting his throat, on 10th June 1917, aged 23. He had served in the army for over five years, was judged to be of sound mind and his family … Read more
Miscellaneous Deaths
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
