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.
Brothers, Charles Oliver Robinson and Ernest Victor Robinson, both Privates in the 12th East Yorkshire Regiment died in the same attack on Serre on the 13th November 1916. They were the sons of John Alfred and Ada Robinson, 18 Salisbury Street, Hessle.
Corporal, Henry Beanland, (aged 23), died on the same day as his brother Private Arthur Beanland, (aged 28). They both served in the 13th East Yorkshires and were killed in action on the 13th November 1916. They were the sons of Benjamin and Lydia Beanland, 11 Alexandra Avenue, Arundle Street.
Private Ernest Hotchkin,1225, 12th East Yorkshire Regiment, and his brother Private Fred Hotchkin, 1226, 12th East Yorkshire Regiment, joined together and also died together on the 13th November 1916. They were the sons of Mark and Minnie Hotchkin, who lived at 7 Sophia’s Terrace, Spyvee Street, Hull. They were aged 28 and 22 years respectively.
Pte. George Edward Betts, 12th EYR, (20 years) and brother, John Betts, 8th EYR, (24 years), were killed on the 13th November 1916. Both were sons of Joshua & Harriet Betts, 6 Lucas Square, Sykes Street, Hull.John Betts lived with his wife Margaret & their two children nearby, at 4 Carlton Place, Francis Street, Hull.Incidentally, … Read more
L/Cpl. William Thorley Allenby (20 years), & his brother George David Allenby (25 years), both 7th CEF, Columbia Regiment, died at Vimy Ridge on the 8th July 1916. Their parents David & Ellen Allenby, lived 31 Mayfield Street, Hull.
Brothers George and David Galloway, Privates in the 7th EYR were both killed on 17th January 1916. They were the sons of John & Sarah Ann Galloway – 46 Cleveland Street, Hull. Another brother Thomas Galloway, 1st EYR (24 years) was killed on the 16th September 1916.
Skipper, William Darby Coates Snr. (59 years) and his son 3rd Hand, William Darby Coates Jnr. (20years), were both lost on the steam trawler, Earle (HULL) on 21st January 1916. They lived at 6 Empringham Place, Daltry Street, Hull.
We now call it the First World War or World War One. Contemporaries certainly thought it was a world war and called it that. The term “World War” (Weltkrieg) first appeared in Germany in 1914. The French and British referred to the war as “La Grande Guerre” or the “Great War”, but also adopted the term … Read more
While fighting during WW1 spanned the globe, the Western Front was the primary focus of Britain’s war. The ‘Western Front’ marked the furthest German advances. It was a 400 mile battle line, extending from the North Sea coast at Nieuwpoort, to the Swiss border. The French held about 360 miles of this line and carried much of … Read more
OPPY WOOD, 3rd May 1917 – The Hull Pals Attack The Capture of Oppy Wood was an engagement, North East of Arras, between May and June 1917. The Germans were in possession of a fortified wood to the west of the village of Oppy, which overlooked British positions. The wood was 1-acre (0.40 ha) in area and contained many German observation … Read more
