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.
Pte, Thomas Dalton, 1/4th EYR, died on the 6th May 1917, searching for his wounded brother Percy Dalton. It was later discovered that Percy had been captured, and had died a week earlier of wounds, after his left leg was amputated. Within a fortnight, Herbert and Mary Ann Dalton and lost both sons.
Pte, Walter Murray, had worked at Reckitt’s since 1900 before enlisting. He was killed when his rifle accidentally discharged and is buried at Ypres. He lived at 93 St Georges Road and was 37 years old.
Gunner, John Thomas Wigglesworth, enlisted in the Royal Field Artillery, in Easter 1915. He was gassed in France, on the 23rd May 1917, and never recovered. He died at home on the 7th December 1919, aged 23, and is buried at Hedon Road Cemetery. He was the son of Alfred Wigglesworth who lived at 18 … Read more
09/01/2015 by admin – Paul Bishop St Matthews Church, Boulevard, Hull. Built in 1870, with a landmark spire. The Church served the Community for over 150 years, before closing in 2014. St Matthew’s Church Memorial, is one of Hull’s most impressive War Memorials. The community paid for a magnificent West Window, and two marble tablets, which record … Read more
Private, William Lee, cut his throat in Billet, on Beverley Road, on the 19/10/15. He was a Hull man aged 36. He served as 23186, in 3rd Battalion of the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. His wife lived at 53 Luke Street, Liverpool. (Hull Daily Mail 20/10/15) Robert Hume, a discharged soldier from Hull, cut … Read more
William John Smart who died falling into the dry dock at Hull was listed as “drowned’ on the 12th November 1915. His body was not recovered from St George’s Dock, until six months later, on 30th May 1916
Arthur James Holmes died falling into the dry dock at Hull on 12th November 1915. Lieutenant, Edward Allen Kitching, Royal Field Artillery, 27th Bde., was injured when dismounting from his horse, he was thrown in front of a lorry. He died at Hull Royal Infirmary on the 8th September 1915, aged 27 years. 2nd L/t, … Read more
Pte, Thomas Adams, a printer, enlisted in the 10th Hull Pals. He died shortly after of a brain fever on the 18th September 1914. He was 30 years old, lived at 10 Greek Street and is buried in Hull Western Cemetery
Pte, George Wilson Beckett, 8th EYR, a former Reckitt’s Worker had tried to join the army on the 27th February 1911. He was rejected twice by the Military, but joined up under the Derby scheme. He was killed at Ypres on the 13th June 1916, aged 21. His parents Ann and John Beckett lived at … Read more
Harold Statham enlisted with his brother William in November 1914. His three brothers Robert, Edward and Leonard had already signed up. Harold was underage when he joined the East Yorkshire Regiment and he died in France on the 26th October 1915, aged 17 years old. His parents Thomas Statham and Jane Pinder lived at 4 … Read more
