Peter Wise and Brenda McMahon have submitted the following:-
John was born at Startforth in 1894 the son of John and Sarah Ellen (nee Walton). The couple went on to have 12 children although 7 died. His siblings included George William, Margaret, William, Beatrice, Arthur, Norman and Henrietta.
John senior was a police constable.
By 1911 John (age 13) and his older brother, George (age 16) were both working as pit labourers above ground. He later became a fitter.
He married at Darlington in 1915 Jane Ann Metcalfe and they went on to have one child. Only a few months after his marriage John enlisted on November 20th 1915 and within a year he was killed in action.
His records show him to be 5’10” tall, 166 lbs, and had a good physical development.
He embarked at Southampton on June 16th 1916 them disembarked at Havre before being sent to the front.
Before he went on active service he was admonished several times for being missing. At West Hartlepool on February 13th 1916 he overstayed his pass resulting in 3 days loss of pay. Next on 20 May whilst training at Scotton camp he was absent from tattoo until being apprehended by the civil police for which he lost 14 days pay and was confined to barracks for 10 days. Once again and only 7 days later he went absent without leave for which he received 5 days confined to barracks.
On December 13th 1916 the Teesdale Mercury reported that Mrs Hull had received a letter from a 2nd Lieutenant in John’s regiment notifying her of her husband’s death. He added John ‘was a ‘brave, willing and efficient soldier’. He had been killed in action.
On March 19th 1920 a letter was sent from the army record office at York advising his widow that ‘John’s remains were exhumed for a proper burial at A.I.F. Burial Ground. The removal and reburial was undertaken with every care and reverence and the reinternment was conducted by an army chaplain.’
John Joseph Hull is remembered at Barnard Castle on B135.25
He is also remembered in the DLI Book of Remembrance page 316
