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.
Alice Maud Brown married on the 31st January 1916 at St Mathews Church, Anlaby Road. Her husband Pte, Stephen Johnson was killed on the 10th September 1916, serving with the East Yorkshires. His name is remembered by her on the memorial inside the church.
Fanny Weymss of 78 English Street, lost her husband and two sons within 18 months. Her son George was killed serving with the East Yorkshire Regiment on the 4th August 1916. Her second son Leonard Wemyss was killed with the Yorkshire Regiment on the 9th April 1917. To compound her misery, her husband William was … Read more
Charles Wakerley married in 1915. He was drowned on the 5th November 1915 when the steam Trawler ‘Jersey was lost at sea. He left his widow Ethel (Wharton) at 61 Haverlock Street, Hessle Road. His mother Mary Jane Wakerley also died in 1915. His brother Joseph Wakerley, was later lost with all hands, on 27th … Read more
Private, John Backmore, 13th EYR, from 28 Naburn Street, was killed on the 25th March 1918, aged 23. He was engaged to Annie Williamson at the time of his death.
Sgt, George Ernest Atkinson, 1st EYR, ‘B’ Company was engaged to be married when he was killed on the 25th April 1918. He was 41 years old and lived at 32 Colonial Street, Hull. Private, Sidney Marritt, from the Machine Gun Corps, was killed on 10th January 1917. He was 22 year old and … Read more
Arthur Colby, from 6 Wassand Street, was another early casualty in the War. He had been married only 4 months before he died of wounds at Bordeaux on 22nd October 1914. Ernest Sidney Waine, a ship’s carpenter for the Wilson Line, drowned in 1914. He had only been married for three months. Tom … Read more
Robert James Cressey, Skipper of the ‘Stirling’ sank with his steam ship on the 24th February 1915. His son George James Cressey, died on the Trawler ‘Hermia’ on the 1st August 1916. They were the Husband and son of Mary Cressey who lived at 11 Shaw Street, Holderness Road.
Second Officer, Alfred Buchacan Cheetham, sank with the Steam Ship ‘Prunelle’ on the 22nd August 1918. It was sunk on a voyage from London to Dundee carrying a cargo of Jute when it was torpedoed by the U-Boat 112, 2 miles South East of Blyth. He left a widow Eliza and daughter Carrie at number … Read more
THOMAS MOOR LEACH WAS BORN IN HULL ON 25/12/1867. SON OF WILLIAM ALLEN & ELIZA LEACH. HIS WIFE EMMALINE LEACH, LIVED AT 6 SARAH TERRACE, ROSAMOND STREET, HULL. A MERCHANT MARINE, FIREMAN. HE DIED OF DISEASE ON 15/04/1915, AGED 49 AND IS BURIED AT HULL’S HEDON ROAD CEMETERY. HIS SON, ALLAN LEACH, DIED AT SEA, ON … Read more
Charles Crosby Johnston, Snr, was lost at sea on the Steam ship ‘ Sappho’ on the 27th December 1915. His son also called Charles Crosby Johnston, died fighting with the Canadian Expeditionary Force at Ypres on 19th April 1916. They lived at 199 Hessle Road.
