The Human Side

[Candolim_Imp]

As we approach the centenary of the outbreak of The Great War, I thought it might be an appropriate time to consider the real life stories behind the facts.

My Great Uncle, John Hulm, an apprentice bootmaker, joined up on 4th April 1917, aged 17 years and 10 months. He was born in July 1899, the eldest of 8 children (my grandmother was the 7th child and aged 7 when he joined up). The family story was that he lied about his age, but his attestation papers demonstrate that this was not the case, as his accurate age was recorded (at the time of enlistment, he also appears to have been one inch shorter than the minimum height). However, he wasn't posted to France until he was approaching 19, in April 1918, and at this point had served more than the minimum 6 months in training (and possibly acquired the extra inch in height).

The family story was the Jack (as he was known) was wounded whilst on the front line on 18th September 1918. He was sent behind the lines to receive treatment. I was told that he was killed by shellfire . His parents received the "missing, presumed dead" telegram. My great grandmother couldn't accept his death, and believed he was suffering amnesia and was alive in France.
One morning, she got up and said that Jack had visited her in the night and told her not to worry about him anymore, and from that day forward, she acknowledged his death (I make no judgement of what actually happened here, as the subconscious can do some remarkable things, but she and my Grandmother always believed Jack's spirit had actually come to comfort his mother).

The family clearly had difficulty coming to terms with the loss, and a year after he went missing, my great uncle Jim, now the eldest son, wrote to the army seeking information on the events that led to Jack's death.

Below are the images of the letters that passed between the Hulm family, and the army departments dealing with the request, plus a photo of Jack in Army uniform (taken from a rather eerie image of the family where a gap was left on the back row and the photo of Jack pasted into the space)

The letters, contained amongst his service papers, consist of Jim requesting information about the whereabouts of Jack's body, a request between departments for this information to be passed on, and the brief reply that Jack battalion was at Gouzeaucourt on 18th September 1918.

I feel it's fitting to make public Jack's story this year. Anyone else have any family stories to share?

[Billiegirl]

Thanks so much for sharing your family story, which shows the dreadful trauma experienced by the mothers, especially, when they lost their soldier sons. Truly tragic, and I'm so glad she eventually had an experience that enabled her to come to terms with her loss.

There will be many such stories coming out this year I hope, before they're all but forgotten. Good on you.

[Judi Binks]

 
Thanks for posting story and pics. I am researching Hulm family tree Bootle based. Richard Hulm and James Hulm both blacksmiths in Bootle area. Is there any connection? Best wishes, Judi Binks

[Candolim_Imp]

Yes, they are part of the same family. All the Hulms (and a number who reverted back to the original 'Hulme' spelling) descended from John Hulme of Altcar and his wife, Isabella Holmes, of Lancaster. They settled in Bootle and had a large family, amongst whom was William, grandfather of Jack Hulm mentioned here