Lance Corporal Wilfred Hull
March 30, 1896 - June 27, 1916
Lance Corporal Wilfred Hull of the 13th Canadian Infantry Battalion, service number 412599, was born March 30th, 1896. He had worked as an agent in his hometown of Lakefield Ontario before enlisting. This likely means he did freelance work, mainly representing different groups. He enlisted in Port Hope December 28th, 1914 at the age of 18 with no previous military experience. He had agreed to serve “for the term of one year, or during the war now existing between Great Britain and Germany should that war last longer than one year, and for six months after the termination of that war provided His Majesty should no longer require my services, or until legally discharged”. His attestation papers were signed on the 18th of February, 1915. According to the medical examiner he looked to be eighteen. He was 5-foot 7-inches in height. His girth when fully expanded was 34-inches, and his range of expansion was 2-inches. He had a ruddy or reddish complexion, grey eyes, and auburn hair. He was medically cleared for service on March 6th, 1915, and was sent off to join the 39th Battalion. He lived with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Hull of Lakefield. His will was made out to his father, he was never married. He left for England with the 39th on the SS Missanabie. He trained in Shorncliffe for two months, and was then moved to West Sandling and used as a reinforcing unit. The 13th Battalion served in the Second Battle of Ypres (April 22, 1915 - May 25, 1915), though at this point Hull had not been transferred from the 39th. He was transferred to the 13th on September 24th, 1915.
Hull's Story -
a Photographic Compilation
The 13th and Hull then went on to serve in the Battle of Mount Sorrel (June 2, 1916 - June 13, 1916). After the battle, the battalion was sent to relieve the 7th Canadian Infantry Battalion, who were positioned right next to the mountain. Each soldier was carrying 270 rounds for their rifles, five days rations, two bottles of water, two hand grenades, and a shovel for every other man.They successfully relieved the 7th Battalion on June 24th, 1916, and held up in the trenches at that position. Over the next few days there was a steady flow of German activity, but very few casualties. Then, on the 27th at 4:00 a.m. the Germans launched an all-out assault. A bombardment of the trenches in which the 13th battalion was holding. This bombardment consisted of “guns of all calibers” as reported by the scribe. During this bombardment the Germans tried to storm the trench three separate times with three separate companies, all of whom failed to take the 13th Battalion’s position. Unfortunately, Hull was killed in this attack, at the age of 20 along with around 65 other men of the 13th Battalion. He was reported as dead, not missing in the casualty report, but his body was not recovered. the 13th, on the other hand, did recover. The battalion went on to fight in the Battle of the Somme (July 1, 1916 - November 18, 1916), as well as the Battle of Vimy Ridge (April 9, 1917 - April 12, 1917). As well as the Battle of Passchendaele (July 31, 1917 - November 10, 1917), and the Pursuit to Mons (August 8, 1918 - November 11, 1918).
memoriAL information
Because he died in Belgium, and his body was never found, his name is featured on the Menin Gate. The gate is located in the eastern side of Leper (previously known as Ypres) in the province of West Flanders on the road to Menin and Courtrai. The Menin gate a rather large arch reaching over the road. On the inside of the arch there are panels featuring the names of the soldiers that died in Belgium whose bodies were never recovered. Wilfred Hull is featured on panel 24-26-28-30. His name is recorded on page 106 of the First World War Book of Remembrance in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill. Page 106 is displayed on March 13th and March 14th.
A snip from page 106 of the World War One Book of Remembrance (right)
(Hull's name is featured in the top left)
A schematic of the Menin Gate (left) where Hull's name is displayed
(panel 24-26-28-30)
Battalion InformATION
The 13th was formed from a group of volunteers from the Royal Highlanders Regiment of Canada, “The Black Watch”, or “The Quebec Regiment”. The regiment was based in Montreal, but men from other militia regiments (like Hull) were sent over with this battalion as well. They were first sent to England in September 1914 as part of the First Contingent, and became a part of the 3rd Brigade of the 1st Division. The Battalion’s baptism of fire was in the Second Battle of Ypres in April 1915. They went on to fight in almost every major battle; the Somme in July 1916, Vimy Ridge in April 1917, Passchendaele in July 1917, and the Pursuit to Mons in August 1918. The 13th was disbanded in April, 1919. On December 1, 1920, the 13th Battalion was perpetuated by the 1st Battalion. There is a wooden cross that is dedicated to the members of he 13th who died during the Battle of Vimy Ridge erected originally at Vimy Ridge itself. The cross was later brought to the Canadian war museum. Three members of the 13th were given Victoria Crosses for their bravery. Frederick Fisher, who won his on 23 April 1915 at St. Julien during the Second Battle of Ypres. The others, Herman James Good and John Bernard Croak, won their crosses on 8 August 1918 at Hangard Wood in France.
A photograph of the 13th in front of de Bleury Street Armory
History of gas use in the first world war
By the time World War One had started many gases had been developed for military use. The earliest use of gas in the war was tear gas. The French were actually the first to use this tear gas. They would use 26 mm grenades full of this gas to irritate the eyes of German soldiers. The gas, however, was not very effective in a large battle. Not only was it not effective, but it was also costly. The active ingredient in the gas, bromine, was that it was basically scarce. So they changed it to chloroacetone. These grenades were just as ineffective in a large scale. These grenades were not banned as they were not in violation of the Hague Treaty, which outlawed the use of “asphyxiating or poisonous” gases. Then in 1915 the Germans tried to use the first large scale gas attack against Russia in January of 1915. They launches canisters (akin to those seen below) of xylyl bromide, another form of tear gas on the Russian positions on the Rawka River. This also proved ineffective as the gas froze instead of vapourizing.
Then, in France, phosgene was discovered. This gas was less detectable, and more potent than chlorine, but the symptoms would take longer to manifest, meaning initially the enemy could still fight back, so the idea was scrapped after little use.
The first effective use of a large scale gas attack was at the Second Battle of Ypres. The germans had been developing a new gas, for a while now and had already done a few field tests on British officers. This new gas was chlorine (as seen below). Chlorine gas would damage eyes, the nose, the lungs, the throat, and death by asphyxiation after prolonged exposure. This was in direct violation of the Hague Treaty, but that didn’t stop the Germans from deploying 168 tons of the gas on the French. The Germans were so pleased with the results that they used the gas another two times in the Second Battle of Ypres, and then against Russia at the Fortress of Osowiec, and at the Rawka River. However, the gas wasn’t quite as effective as the Germans had wanted. Those who would stand still would likely escape many of the effects the gas had, as movement would worsen the damage done by the gas. It was also discovered that the gas was easily water-soluble, meaning if you were to wet a damp cloth and put it up to your mouth, the chlorine would dissolve into the cloth, leaving anything behind it safe. It was also discovered that the gas would react to urea, found in urine, making it even more effective to urinate in a cloth and hold it up to your mouth, having the same dissolving effect. The British tried to harness the power of chlorine gas in september of 1915 to little avail.
