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Pte Walter Hunt
British Army 2nd Btn. Royal Warwickshire
from:West Bromwich
(d.16th Oct 1915)
Walter Hunt joined the 2nd Bn Royal Warwicks on the 9th Sept 1914 and landed in France on the 17th May 1915. He made his way forward to join the rest of the 7th Division 22nd Brigade at the front. His first night in the trenches was his 22nd birthday.
The Battle of Loos started with a British bombardment on the German lines. For five days, the British guns rained shells to weaken defenses and cut wire. On the morning of the 25th, the high explosive shells were exchanged for gas, a tactic to wipe out any German resistance. The way forward was clear... The 2nd Battalion went over the top at 6.30 in the morning. When the battalion was mustered at midnight there were present no officers and only 140 men. Lt.-Colonel Lefroy and 2 of his officers had been mortally wounded, 7 other officers were killed, 7 were wounded and 1 was a prisoner. Of the men 64 were killed, 171 wounded and 273 were missing.
Pte Walter Hunt was one of the 171 wounded in that attack. He was passed back down the line and eventually returned to No 4 Military Hospital Lincoln, where due to the nature of his wounds he passed on the 16th Oct 1915. His body was returned to his family in West Bromwich, a rare event for the day and he received a full military funeral.
West Bromwich Free Press 29th Sept 1915:- "Two of our local heroes, Pte W Hunt (22) and Pte J Grosvenor were accorded a military funeral ... The day of the funeral was a day of almost general mourning in the town. In front of long lines of houses in the streets through which the mournful cortege passed, blinds were lowered. The body of Hunt was borne on a gun carriage, and that of Grosvenor in a hearse, both draped with the Union Jack and covered with flowers. The Band of the 8th R. Warwicks headed the funeral procession and the R. Engineers furnished two bearer detachments, whilst the firing party was supplied from the 8th R Warwicks. When the procession passed down the High Street, crowds of sympathetic onlookers lined the footpaths. In the cemetery there was something like 2000 people present. The service over the grave was conducted by th Rev. W Wibby in which he called for.... 'others to show the courage and commitment to their country as these two men lying side-by-side'..... 'I ask you to go forward in the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and offer your services for King and Country'. After the firing party had fired three volleys over the grave, the Last Post was sounded, and the band played "Nearer, My God, to Thee."
Walter was my Great Uncle.
