Lot 19
A Great War, Casualty Group of 4 awarded to Private John Hunter,
Military Medals, Decorations and Orders On Land, at Sea, in the Air | E114
Auction: 7 September 2023 at 10:00 BST
Description
A Great War, Wounded 3 Times, Casualty Group of 4 awarded to Private John Hunter, 3rd and 4th Battalions The Worcestershire Regiment, who was wounded in March 1915 at Spanbroekmolen, on the 1st of July 1916 at Beaumont Hamel, and lastly on the Messines Ridge in June 1917. He also spent 266 days with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force in Gallipoli and Mesopotamia. An amazing service group comprising 1914-15 Star, an unnamed example, 1914-1920 British War and Victory Medals, (15339 Pte. J. Hunter. Worc. R.), Silver War Badge No. (B240099), very fine. (4).
Private John Hunter enlisted on the 3rd of September 1914, a Miner by trade from Nuneaton. He landed in France with the 3rd Battalion the Worcestershire Regiment on the 7th of March 1915, and was wounded on the 12th of March 1915, just five days after arriving in France. The Battalion took part in an attack on Spanbroekmolen on the 12th: the leading Companies went forward under a hail of bullets and over ground knee‑deep in mud at 4.10pm. ‘Officers and men went down at every step.’ Small parties entered the enemy lines and held until forced to retire at dusk. Total Casualties: 169 Killed, Wounded or Missing.
John was returned wounded to England on the 14th of March 1915. On recovering, he was posted to the 4th Battalion and sent to the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, the 4th Battalion arriving in Gallipoli as a reinforcement on the 6th of August 1915 and going straight into action on the right of Worcester Flat. The Battalion was evacuated on the night of the 7th/8th of January 1916 from “W” Beach after some very hard fighting on the Peninsula.
They then moved to Mesopotamia until returning the to the Western Front on the 20th of March 1916. The 4th Battalion moved from Louvencourt forward via Acheux Wood and Mailly‑Maillet to reserve positions at Auchonvillers on the 30th of June 1916. On the morning of the 1st of July 1916, the Battalion moved up towards Beaumont Hamel, passing through what was left of the Newfoundland Regiment and moved forward to the attack at 11.30am. The War Diary notes: ‘some 100 men would be lost before reaching the firing line’. Private Hunter received a Gun Shot Wound to the face and a Gun Shot Wound to his left shoulder during this advance.
Private Hunter was wounded for the third time on the 7th of June 1917, in the attack on the Messines Ridge receiving a Gun Shot Wound Right Breast; he was moved to Temporary Ambulance Train 112 and returned to England on the 12th of June 1917.
Returning to France again on the 10th of March 1918, he served overseas in action until the 17th of November 1918 when he came back to England for the final time, serving 4 years and 80 days almost continually in action and being badly wounded three times. He was discharged on the 4th of March 1919, with Silver War Badge No.B24099.
Sold with Copy Medal Index Card, Copy Service Papers, Copy War Diaries, Copy Medal and SWB Rolls, Copy extract from Ray Westlake’s seminal works on the Western Front, Gallipoli and the Somme.
