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.
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.
Pte William Rees Nanney, died at Gallipolli on the 20th August 1915, serving with the Welsh Fusiliers. His son John Halford Nanney of the South Wales Borderers was killed on 31st July 1917, aged 20 years old and is commemorated on the Menin Gate at Ypres. They were the husband and son, of Catherine Nanney, … Read more
Skipper, George Hillam, commanded the Trawler ‘Numitor’ which was lost at sea on 20th April 1918. His 16 year old son George Hughs Hillam, had previously been killed serving with the Royal Navy, on HMS Cornwallis, on 25th April 1915
Able Seaman, Alfred Lancelot Anderson, from 1 Norman Terrace, Campbell Street, Hull, died serving the Royal Navy on 13th April 1915. His son William Oliver Anderson died at sea in Russia in 1919.
Father and son, Leonard William Cooper, Snr, aged 52, and his son Leonard William Cooper, Jnr, aged 32 years, both died at sea on the 16th November 1916, when their steam ship ‘Vasco’ was sunk. They both left widows at 8 Byron Street, Westcott Street and 182 Mersey Street.
Father and son, Francis Robert Postle, Snr, (42 years) and Francis Robert Postle, Jnr., died on the 12th April 1917 when the ‘St Andromache’ (GRIMSBY) was sunk by an enemy submarine. Their wife and mother Gertrude (nee Cressey) lived at 21 Harrow Street, Hull
Skipper, William Darby Coates Snr. (59 years) and his son 3rd Hand, William Darby Coates Jnr. (20 years), died on the 21st January 1916, when Hull steam trawler, ‘Earl’ was lost with all hands . They lived at 6 Empringham Place, Daltry Street, Hull. Skipper, Andrew Summers (49) drowned with his seventeen year old son, … Read more
Hull was a very different city at the time of the first word war and streets have changed. In fact, many have disappeared. The maps displayed on the website use Google mapping to locate individuals according to the data we have. The geocoding of everyone is not 100% accurate. If you want to create a … Read more
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