City of Hull Monument

Historical Information

The City of Hull Memorial at Oppy: War memorial for the Hull pals involved in the battle of Oppy Wood on the 3rd and 4th May, 1917.

The main British attacking forces in this battle were the 10th, 11th and 12th Battalions of the East Yorkshire Regiment. The casualties from the battle were appalling. The Hull Commercials (10th battalion) went into the attack with 16 Officers and 484 Other Ranks. Their losses were: 13 Officers and 223 Other Ranks. The 11th and 12th Battalions, which also numbered men from Hull in their ranks, had similar losses. 

 

During the action 2nd Lt J. Harrison of the 11th Battalion silenced an enemy machine-gun post single handed and was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross.