Kingston upon Hull War Memorial 1914 - 1918
The story of Hull in World War 1
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.
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
Able Seaman, Frederick Wheal, was accidentally killed by a shell explosion in Church Street on the 1st June 1918. The shell had been wrapped up and used by his Daughter as a dolly.
Pte, George Frederick Williamson, of 31 St Andrews Street, had been one the first to join the 10th East Yorkshire Pals Battalion. He died of mushroom poisoning, while on leave on 26th November 1916. He was 21 years old and is buried in Hull Western Cemetery. He left his mother Emma who lived at 1 … Read more
