James Dick Hunter - Link to Falkirk
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- 2 days ago
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2664B Private 7th Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 1st Australian Division
Age: 26
Date of death: 29.6.16
Buried: Berks Cemetery Extension Grave I.B.10
Family history: Husband of Alice Davis Hunter, 51 Upton Road, Victoria and father of Lorna K Hunter. He was the fourth son of William and Eliza Hunter, 45 Graham's Road, Falkirk. James was serving in the 1/7th Battalion Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, Territorial Battalion for three years before he emigrated to Australia. He was employed as a painter when he enlisted on 21 July 1915. He joined the 7th Battalion, 2nd Brigade, Australian Infantry and sailed from Alexandria, Egypt landing in Marseilles on 31 March 1916, and then to the Base Camp at Etaples.
Action leading to his death
On the 23 June 1916 the Battalion moved from Neuve Eglise to Ploegsteert with their HQ at Grand Munque Farm and relieved the 3rd Battalion rifle Brigade taking over sectors 128 to 132 of the front line at Anton's Farm. They were sending out listening patrols into No Man’s Land as well as sniping the enemy lines the War Diary recording on 25 June that: ‘Sniping very dull only one target seen.’ On the 29 June the Germans heavily shelled the Battalions lines causing a ‘good number of casualties.’
On the 30 June the War Diary records that a Gas attack was made on the German lines and an artillery barrage opened with the Germans retaliating by shelling the communication trench Ainscroft Avenue and Hyde Park Corner were shelled heavily. The War Diary records that James was one of the casualties on the 30 June. The CWGC record his date of death as 29 June 1916 and this is incorrect. James was buried at Berks Cemetery Extension his burial being carried out by the Reverend F J Miles, attached to the 6th Battalion A.I.F. Read more about burials in Next of Kin
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