David HUNTER

David Hunter was born on 11 October 1892 in Port Melbourne, Victoria. His parents were Daniel Ross and Christina (née Gibson) Hunter. He attended Scotch from 1907 to 1909. He was in Cadets.

David was a wool classer when he enlisted on 18 June 1915 at Melbourne. He served in the 22nd Battalion with the rank of Sergeant. His Regimental Number was 1912.

David died on 3 May 1917 at Bullecourt, France. He was 24 years of age.

Service record

In late June 1915 David Hunter was allotted to reinforcements for the 22nd Battalion. He sailed from Melbourne in August 1915, joined that battalion on the Gallipoli Peninsula on 25 October 1915 and was immediately appointed Lance Corporal. He served through until the evacuation and in March was promoted to Temporary Corporal before proceeding with his unit to Marseille, France. There he was debited some pay in May because of the ‘Loss of Braces’. Far more significant was the fact that he received a gunshot wound to the neck on 27 July 1916 at Pozieres and was evacuated to the 3rd Casualty Clearing Station.

His Service Record notes that in being evacuated wounded he lost his temporary rank. David was evacuated from Calais to England on 8 August and on being admitted to hospital his case was diagnosed as ‘shrapnel wound neck severe’. However by mid-September he had recovered sufficiently to be granted a furlough and in mid-October went to the No. 3 Convalescent Depot. On 11 December he left by ship to return to France. He rejoined his battalion on Christmas Day 1916.

The new year began well for him, as he was promoted, first to Corporal on 24 January and then Sergeant on 23 February 1917. Like many other members of the 22nd Battalion, however, 3 May was a fateful day. His disciplinary record contains no blemishes, but someone has written on the official sheet: ‘This man served at Anzac’ (Gallipoli) and ‘This man served at Pozieres’. He was fortunate to survive both. David’s service file contains a letter from his father dated 2 May 1917 (See below). It refers to a change of address in relation to his two sons, David and Robert. By the time this letter reached the Base Records Office, on 4 May, both sons would be dead. There seems to be no written description of the circumstances of David’s death at Bullecourt.

David Hunter has no known grave, but is commemorated at the Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, France.

Photographs and Documents:

From David Hunter’s service record, including the words: ‘This man served at Anzac’ and ‘This man served at Pozieres’.

Letter from Daniel Hunter, father of David and Robert Hunter

Sources:

1. Australian War Memorial – Roll of Honour
2. Mishura Scotch Database
3. National Archives of Australia – B2455, HUNTER D 1912
4. Scotch Collegian 1917 (photograph only)
5. The AIF Project - https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=147356 (erroneously listed as ‘Daniel Hunter’)