Private 7112 George HUNT
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Date of Death:
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6 November 1914 (Died of wounds)
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Grave No:
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II. A. 13.
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Unit:
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n/k
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Age:
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30
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Personal History:
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George was born in Long Itchington, Warwickshire in December 1882, the 2nd child of Thomas (Farm Labourer) and Sarah M. Hunt. He had an older brother, Reuben and a younger brother, John, and younger sister, Amy. In 1901 the family were living at 22 Manor Rd., Lillington, Warwickshire. (1901 Census 13/2933)
At the time of his enlistment he was employed as a Gardner. At the time of his enlistment into the Cheshires he was 5' 7¼" tall (1.71 m.), weighed 119 lbs. (8 st. 7lbs.) had a 'fresh' complexion, hazel eyes and light brown hair. His religion was Church of England.
George married Edith Beatrice Hughes in the Shipton On Stour District, Warwickshire, in the September quarter 1908. In 1911 (Census RG 14/18730) they are living at 1 Oxford Road, Leamington Spa, with their two oldest children, Grace Alice and Doris Edith. George is working as a 'Grocer's Vanman'
(Edith re-married James Summers, in the March quarter 1917 and was living at 10, Manor Rd., Lillington, Leamington at the time of the compilation of the CWGC records.) George and Edith had three children in all (youngest - George, born 1913) and with effect from 31 May 1915 she was awarded and Army pension of 20/6d (£1.025) per week for all of them.
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Military History:
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George originally enlisted in the 5th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment (Private 8469), at Warwick on 10 July 1901 aged 18 years 0 months and transferred to the 2nd Battalion Cheshire Regiment on 5 March 1903 after 351 days service, aged 20 years 3 months. (Clearly the dates do not match up with his age differences here!)
His service record shows during his service with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment he served in South Africa during the Boer War and was awarded the South Africa Medal (Queen's) plus the Cape Colony Clasp. Eligibility for this meant he must have been present for "the Spring Campaign" - September to December 1901.
George's time with the Cheshires was not without incident. He was brought up on a charge 7 times, for drunkenness, wilful damage, gambling and unauthorised absences. The most serious was on 26 July 1904 when he was sentenced to 11 days imprisonment for allowing prisoners he was guarding to escape.
He appears to have been transferred to the Army Reserve on 16 March 1905, with his consent, but before his period of service was completed. Having joined in 1901 his 12 year period of service ought to have been completed before the outbreak of War, but it seems his Attestation Papers with the Cheshires restarted his 3 + 9 twelve year period of Service.
His Medal Index Card shows that at the outbreak of War and entered France on 16 August 1914. He died of wounds on 6 November. It is not, of course, possible to say when his wounds were received and could have been long lasting, but that are more than likely as a result of the Battalion's action at Voilaines (18 - 22 October 1914).
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