Hull Rifles looks at the 4th East Yorkshire Regiment during the Great
War and examines the origins of the battalion and its history over the
three years it fought in France and Belgium. The battalion was involved
in some of the bloodiest battles of the war and suffered such high
casualty rates in early 1918 that the unit ceased to exist, except in
name.
The men of the original battalion were Territorials, part-time soldiers
who gave their free time to provide home defense during a war.
Officially formed on 1 April 1908 as a result of the Haldane changes,
the unit could trace its history back hundreds of years and was one of
the oldest in the country. All the men were volunteers and held a
full-time job. They had committed themselves to regular weekly training
and a camp in the summer where they practised large-scale maneuvers with
other units. When the call came to volunteer for overseas service, 80
per cent came forward. Their ranks were quickly filled with new
volunteers who were prepared to fight abroad.
Volunteer numbers were high and quickly the overseas battalion was at
full strength, as was a second for home service. A third battalion was
also formed to provide replacements for the men at the Front. As well as
fighting on the Western Front, a battalion was sent to guard Bermuda for
the duration.
The text uses letters, newspaper cuttings and the war diary to provide a
detailed picture of a typical Territorial battalion at war. Also
included are many previously unseen photographs, a nominal list of the
men who volunteered before Christmas 1915, including a convicted
murderer, awards, casualty details and lists of officers.
