Volunteers at The Friends of Hull General Cemetery have cleared, tidied and planted up the monument to Lt (Acting Capt) Frederick Vincent Hall in Hull General Cemetery. The monument is located close to Spring Bank West and Princes Ave, opposite Hymers Ave.
Frederick was born in Muswell Hill, London on 20 March 1898, the only child of Hull solicitor, Frederick William and Florence Elizabeth Hall (Taylor). They lived at Oaklands Park, Tolleshunt Knights, Maldon, Essex. Native of Finchley, London He joined the Royal Navy in WW1, becoming a Flt Sub Lieutenant in the newly formed RNAS, the forerunner of the RAF. He trained on Sopwith Pups, and on 2 May 1917 he took part in the defence of the French village of Dunkirk which was suffering from many attacks by German aircraft, he engaged a German Albatross plane which he successfully shot down, killing the pilot and the observer. The local press recorded that Frederick and his co-officer, Wing Commander Newbury, went to salute the bodies of the German airmen before their bodies were removed. In gratitude for their action in protecting the town, the Mayor of Dunkerque awarded the 2 men commemorative medals.
Three weeks later on 23 May 1917, he was shot down suffering bullet wounds in his leg and had to be admitted to Chatham Hospital. After his recovery he joined the No10 Naval Squadron flying Sopwith Camels and was active over France and Belgium, engaging amongst others, the notorious Baron von Richtofen.
When the RAF was formed from the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service on 1 April 1918, Frederick’s squadron was renamed as No 210 Squadron, and he was promoted to acting Captain. He had 7 successes in aerial combat, making him an ‘ace’, however his luck ran out on 15 May 1918 when he was killed in aerial combat over France aged just 20 years old. He is buried in Eblinghem Cemetery, France. His grave inscription, reads, ” FOR WHOM WE RETURN THANKS TO GOD”. In addition to his impressive monument in Hull General Cemetery, he is commemorated on a plaque in All Saints Church, East Finchley.
