Grimsby WW1 soldiers and dock workers found underneath French hospital build

Lincolnshire soldiers who were killed in World War One have been found during construction work on a new hospital in Lens, France.

The remains of Arthur Cook, Robert Cullum, John Fraser and William London were all found during early works. The group were part of a Lewis gun team in the 1/5^th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment.

It’s thought they died on 5 May 1917 during the tail-end of the Battle of Arras. Now, the men will be laid to rest and a service held at the Loos British Cemetery Extension.

Before going off to war, three of the men worked in the fishing industry, a synonymous part of Grimsby’s heritage. Robert Cullum, who was one of 13 siblings, worked as a labourer on the fish docks.

At the time, arguably the most famous was being one of the “barrow boys”. This group of men and boys were known for speeding about with boxes of fish. It was well known that once they were going they couldn’t stop due to the weight of what they were carrying and people knew to keep out of their way.

John Fraser grew up on Oxford Street and, according to the 1911 census, was employed as a ship painter. During the early 1900s, there could be up to 700 trawlers in the dock that were all painted regularly. They would sit on planks hung over the ships side or work from small boats alongside the trawlers to paint.

Sadly, not as much is known about William London, but records show that he worked with his father James on the fish dock.

During this time, there were plenty of jobs on offer for those working on the docks. It was often said that for one person working as a fisherman there were seven employed on shore associated with the trade.

Some of the onshore jobs included packing fish salt into barrels, untangling bits of fish from the nets when they came in to shore and even cleaning the fish ready for salting.

David Ornsby, Operations Manager at Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre, said: “It’s truly amazing to learn about this discovery.

“We’re so glad to see these men get the burial they deserve after giving their lives for their country. We do our upmost to preserve and promote the rich fishing heritage of this town and this is another example of the hard-working people who made it what it was.

“Their stories will live on, much like others who worked on the docks and the ships, even when they cannot.”

Councillor Hayden Dawkins, Portfolio Holder for Culture, Heritage and Visitor Economy, added: “We are dedicated to keeping the fishing industry at the forefront of people’s minds and to be able to do so through the retelling of these men’s stories, it truly is remarkable.

“Their courage and bravery is incomparable and we will forever be in their debt for what they sacrificed.”