John Hunter
1911 - bank clerk
Member Nottingham Union Rowing Club (NURC)
- Family History
- Military history
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John (Jack) was the son of Edward and Beatrice Hunter (née Reeve).
His father was born in Ireland on 15 March 1854 and his mother was born in Burton on Trent, Derbyshire. They were married at Derby St Andrew on 2 June 1880. Edward's father was a superintendent of police and Beatrice's father was a farmer.
The couple had eight children, Edward Reeve b. 1881 and Dorothy b. 1883 who were born in Burton on Trent, and Alec b. 1884, Leslie b. 1886, John b. 1888, Gladys b. 1892, Arthur birth registered 1896 JFM and Beatrice b. 1898 who were born in Ashbourned, Derbyshire. All the children were baptised at Stretton with Claymills St Mary.
At the time of his marriage, Edward snr. was a bank clerk but by 1891 he was a bank manager at Compton Street, Clifton & Compton, Ashbourne. The family was still living in Ashbourne in 1901 but by 1911 Edward was employed as a book salesman and insurance(?) agent and he and Beatrice were living at 81 Sydney Street, Burton on Trent. Only their three youngest children, Gladys, Arthur and Beatrice, were still living at home
Edward Reeve, a banker's clerk, was recorded on the Census at Sutton cum Duckmanton as a visitor in the household of James and Agnes Ecob. Edward married their daughter, Eveline May, at Sutton cum Duckmanton St Mary on 14 September 1911. Dorothy was a mother's help, living with Thomas and Mabel Baxter and their two young children at Freeford Farm, Litchfield. She married Walter Wilkie Goodhead at Nottingham New Basford St Augustine on 30 September 1911. Alec had married Cecilia Emily Tutt in 1905 (reg Wirral Cheshire) and in 1911 they and their son Alec (5), were living in Uttoxeter; Alec was a bank clerk. Leslie had married Ethel Watson on 14 February 1910 at Derby St Warburgh and they emigrated to Canada in March same year. John was lodging at 52 Clarendon Street, Nottingham, and was employed as a bank clerk. Their sister Beatrice probably married William Penfold in 1919 (JAS Paddington London).
Edward snr. died on 26 October 1916. In 1921 his widow Beatrice was living at 13 Elm Avenue, West Bridgford, Nottingham, with her son Arthur, a bank clerk with the National Provincial & Lincoln Bank of England Ltd, Smith Bank Branch, Nottingham.
Beatrice snr. died on 3 August 1933. The Probate record gives her address as 102 New Road, Uttoxeter. Her sons Edward Reeve, bank manager, and Alec, bank cashier, were awarded administration of her Will.
He was lost when HMT Leasowe Castle, a troop ship in convoy from Alexandria to the UK, was sunk by submarine in the Mediterranean with the lost of '83 officers and men of the Commonwealth forces' (www.cwgc.org)
His body was not recovered for burial and he is commemorated on the Chatby Memorial, Alexandria Egypt.
The account is from a local resident posted on the Woodborough village website:
'The Hussars had been fighting in the Middle East and they were returning to France where they were to be re-formed as a machine gun company. Their new title was to be the South Notts Machine Gun Battalion. They were sent to Alexandria, Egypt and had received orders to embark on a transporter ship called the "Leasowe Castle" on 23th May 1918 ¹. On 27th May, the ship was struck by a torpedo with devastating results. A very detailed account of the fateful journey may be read in the historical records of the South Notts Hussars Yeomanry by G. Fellows. The "Leasowe Castle" was one of a convoy of six transporters and they were accompanied by a number of destroyers. The weather was good, the sea was calm and a brilliant moon shone in the night sky. At 1.30 am on May 27th 1918 when the ship was about 104 miles from Alexandria, the "Leasowe Castle" was struck by a torpedo on the starboard side. The engines were immediately stopped. The troops mustered to their stations, rolls were called, boats lowered and rafts flung overboard. The Japanese destroyer "R" stood by, while the remainder of the convoy continued on their journey at full speed. We are informed that perfect order was maintained on board, the men standing quietly at their stations as if on parade, while those detailed for the work assisted in lowering the boats. Lifeboats were launched in the course of forty five minutes and the rescue attempt continued smoothly. The "Leasowe Castle" remained fairly steady, though sinking a little at the stern, with a slight list to port. All of 'B' (Warwickshire Yeomanry) Company of the Battalion went over the port side and were picked up in the water. About 1.45am. HM sloop "Lily" appeared having turned back from the convoy to assist in the work of rescue. She ran her bows up to the starboard side of the "Leasowe Castle" and made fast, so that troops were able to pass quickly on board. Meanwhile the Japanese destroyer put up a smoke screen for protection. Suddenly about 3.00am a bulkhead in the aft part of the ship gave way, and with a loud noise the "Leasowe Castle" sank rapidly. The "Lily" had a narrow escape, as the hawsers connecting her with the sinking ship were cut with an axe just in time.'
Family headstone Nottingham General Cemetery: [Edward Hunter] 'Also of his two sons Leslie born June (-) 1886, killed in action September 27th 1915 and Jack born (-) killed in action May 27th 1918'
CWGC Ref: 450401: His brother Leslie served with the 29th Battalion Canadian Infantry (75976 Sergeant) and was killed in action on 30 September 1915. He is buried in Wulverghem- Lindenhoek Road Military Cemetery, Belgium (grave ref. I.A.30.) Additional information: Son of Edward and Beatrice Hunter, of Ashbourne, Derbyshire; husband of Ethel Hunter, of 43, Richmond St., Burton-on-Trent, Staffs. CWGC headstone personal inscription: 'Rest in Peace'
British Army, De Ruvigny’s Roll of Honour 1914-1918: ‘Hunter Leslie, Sergt., 14th Platoon, D Coy, No. 75976, 29th (Vancouver) Battn. Canadian Expeditionary Force, 3rd s. of Edward Hunter, Manager of Lloyds Bank, Compton Street, Ashbourne; b. Ashbourne, co. Derby, 21 June 1886; educ. Grammar School there; went to Canada in March 1910; volunteered for service overseas after the outbreak of war, was transferred to the 29th Battn., and was killed in action in France, 11.35am on 30 September 1915. Capt. PH Smith, his commanding officer, wrote that ‘there was no man in his company for whom he had a higher regard’, and one of his platoon (BG Wolfemerton): ‘He was killed in the discharge of his duty a few feet from myself; he and Corpl. Moorhouse had gone to a ruined house to attempt to locate a sniper who was a source of danger to our lines, and on his way back was shot by probably the sniper he was in search of, through the heart; he died instantly and suffered no pain.’ Hunter m. at Derby, 13 Feb. 1910, Ethel (Compton Street Ashbourne) dau. of Joseph Watson and had a dau., Gladys Evelyn, b. 18 July, 1911.’
Leslie and John's sister, Dorothy Goodhead, lost two sons, Jack and Edward, in the Second World War.
CWGC.1798546: Wing Commander (41787) Jack Goodhead RAF. Mentioned in Dispatches. Died 3 June 1943 age 27. Commemorated Runnymede Memorial (Panel 136). ‘Son of Walter Wilkie Goodhead and Dorothy Goodhead, of Southam, Warwickshire. His brother Edward also died on service.’
WWII Allied Airmen ROH. Jack Goodhead Wg Cdr (41787) 3 June 1943. 117 Sqdn North Africa based Castel Benito Libya A/c Hudson Vi Pilot. Brother of E Goodhead. Oc 117 Sqn. Lost during a Transit flight from Portreath to Gibraltar, probably shot down A Ju88. A/C from 1 Oadu.
CWGC.2714848: Pilot Officer (118481) Edward Goodhead RAFVR. Died 17 August 1942 age 20. Buried Southam (St James) Churchyard. 'Son of Walter Wilkie Goodhead and Dorothy Goodhead, of Southam. His brother Jack also died on service.'
Their father, Walter Wilkie Goodhead, served in the Great War: Lincolnshire Regiment (79148 Private), 42 Labour Corps (24776 Private), ASC (S.329751 Private).
John (Jack) Hunter
John and Leslie Hunter commemorated on their father Edward's grave, Nottingham General Cemetery. (Photograph Rachel Farrand, 7 Feb. 2014)
Photo of John Hunter
Commemorated on the Chatby Memorial, Alexandria, Egypt (www.cwgc.org)
Photo of John Hunter
Leslie Hunter (KIA 30 September 1915) brother of John. Source: De Ruvigny’s ROH 1914-1918