WELCOME TO MY FAMILY AT WAR TRIBUTE PAGE

This page details some of the known family members amongst my father's relatives and ancestors who went to war for their country. It is not complete and will be updated from time to time as I receive additional information. Photos are included where available together with any pertinent information regarding their service. To see any photo enlarged on a separate page click on the individual image.

Boer War

Charles Arnold Smith (1884-1904)

Member of Kitchener's Fighting Scouts during this war. No record was found in the existing Australian sources (which are incomplete) of his joining for the war in Australia. The detail of his military service was noted in the Cyclopaedia of South Australia C1910. Research in England from the Public record Office was successful in finding that he enlisted in February 1902 in Durban South Africa. He did not appear to have spent much time on active service as he was discharged in May 1902 with an ulcer on the cornea of the eye thereby making him unfit. He was a jockey by profession and was killed in a fall while riding one of his father's horses in the Grand National Steeplechase of 1904 at Victoria Park racecourse, Adelaide South Australia. Between his return from South Africa and his death he married and was the father of a son. Sadly too; his younger brother, who was also a jockey was killed a few years later during a race at the Cheltenham racecourse in Adelaide.

William Henry Emmerton (1873-1936)

The Boer War list showed a W.H. Emmerton and this is believed to be that person. He served in the 3rd Bushmens Contingent.

World War 1

Frederick William Smith (1886-1918)

Frederick enlisted at Hectorville in South Australia and was a member of the 32nd Battalion A.I.F. when killed in action on the Somme in June 1918 during one of the last offences before the armistice ending the war. He has no known grave but is honoured on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Somme, France. He was the son of Samuel Smith and Virginia Emmerton. Information on his death and memorial obtained from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and the Australian War Memorial, Canberra. Fred sent two postcards to his sister Ethel Hunter's family and to see these click here to open in a new page.

Herbert Alfred Hunter (1892 -1918) and Reginald Charles Hunter (1885-1963)

Brothers Herbert and Reginald (sons of John Hunter Jnr.),were both in the Australian Pioneers and were serving on the Somme together. During hostilities on the 30th July, 1918 a shell landed near them killing Herbert (on right in photo) and injuring Reginald. Herbert is buried in the Beacon Hill Cemetary, Sailly-Laurette, Somme. They were the sons of John Hunter & Emily Hank. Information provided by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Australian War Memorial and Shelley Goldman (Reginald's great grand daughter).

John Campbell Hunter (1883 - 1935)

John was the elder brother of Reginald & Herbert Hunter and the son of John Hunter Jnr. and Emily Hank. He was a member of the 12th Battalian and was sent to Europe in September, 1914. He was involved in the landing at Gallipoli on 25th April, 1915 during which he was severely wounded. He was repatriated to Australia on the 29th July, 1915. In the 1920's he received a service pension to compensate for the injury to his right arm and hand which affected his occupation as a shearer. At the present time there is no photo available.

Herman Robert Hank (1898-1918)

Herman was a member of the 15th A.I.F. and the 9th Australian Light Horse and was posted to Egypt being sent overseas on 30th December, 1915. He may have given an incorrect age on joining as he did not reach his 18th birthday until March, 1916. The war graves record stated age 22 on his death when he was actually 20 years and 2 months of age in 1918 according to the Roll of Honour papers. This record showed that he died from an illness. He is buried in the Ismailia War Memorial Cemetary, Egypt. Herman was the son of Mary Ann Hunter and Hermann Hank. Information provided by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and the Australian War Memorial.

Ralph Hunter (1891 - 1957)

He joined up for the war and left for overseas on 8th March, 1915 and was a member of the 1st Signal Company. He served in North Africa, Gallipoli & France. In France he suffered a gas attack requiring treatment in England and also developed a permanent shoulder injury (an annurism) caused by the signal pack he carried during his service. After medical treatment in England he returned to Australia on 13th May, 1918 and was discharged on 5th June of the same year. The photo was in postcard form and on the reverse is a message to his grandparents John & Mary Hunter sending all his love. He was the son of their eldest son James.

World War 2

Samuel Leonard Hunter (1914-1942)

The story of Samuel (my uncle) is particularly sad as his death and the circumstances surrounding it affected the family deeply. Samuel joined the army at the outbreak of war on the 9th July, 1940 and was posted to the 8th Division Ammunition Sub Park Transport carrying ammunition on the north-south road to Darwin. Later he was sent to Singapore where he was captured by the Japanese when it fell. Sent as a prisoner of war to work on the Siam-Burma railway he fell ill and died on 8th December, 1943. The family was given false hope by a card which he sent to his family as a POW in which he said he was safe and well.Click here to view cards in new window. It was not until after the war that the family finally knew of his fate.

After the war when his remains were exhumed for re-burial in the war cemetary, His wallet was found and returned to the family. In it was a photo of his young sister Nancy which he had taken with him to remind him of some of those at home while on his war service. The final pain was to receive his medals from the army (pictured on the left are: Burma Star, Pacific Star, 1939-1945 Medal & Service Medal) - a reminder of the son and brother who they had lost. He is buried in the Kanchanaburi War Cemetary in Thailand. Son of David Hunter and Ethel Smith. Information provided from family records, Commonwealth War Graves Commission and the Australian War Memorial.

Other family members who served during WW2 are:-

Nancy M. Hunter (1925 - ) Joined the Air Training Corp as she was not yet 18 years old; (photo on left - click photo to see a graduating ATC unit which she was not in as far as we can ascertain. The only person identified positively is a former Miss Craven - second person in from the right in the row behind the front row) and become a WAAF on 25th October, 1943 (just after her 18th birthday). Posted to Tocumwal a base for "Liberator Bomber" operations she met her husband to be Leonard A. Mauger (1923 - ) (pictured at right) who was a tail gunner on the planes. She was an Aircraftwoman and on de-mobilisation on 18th July, 1946 was at the Area Finance Office, Adelaide. Leonard joined the RAAF on 10th June 1943 and reached the rank of Pilot Officer. He told of an amusing incident when they were based in a remote airfield in Western Australia. They went swimming in the nude but were somewhat sunburnt including their bare bottoms. They were not able to sit down for a number of days because of the soreness! He also served for a period in the New Guinea war zone at Milne Bay after which he trained on Liberators as a gunner. When de-mobilised on 9th January, 1946 he was with No 12 Squadron.

Leonard G. Garton (1918 - 1992) Was the husband of Gladys M. Hunter and served in the army during the war having enlisted on 1st January, 1943. He was however in the Citizens Military Forces and at the time of his marriage was at Queenscliff in officer training. He was posted to Darwin where he and Gladys lived until she was evacuated. He also did training at Whyalla on searchlights but because of his motor engineering skills he became involved with the transport side of moving artillery around. He also served in New Guinea in this regard. Len was demobilised on 4th January 1946 having reached the rank of Warrant Officer Class 2 and was in the 216 Australia Light Aid Detachment at that time. Gladys returned to Darwin with her children but they later moved down to Adelaide in order that the children could complete their education.

Malaysian confrontation and Vietnam

Brian W. Hunter (1944 - )

My brother Brian (the son of Hugh Hunter & Hilda Roehr) joined the army as a young man having worked for a short period after leaving high school. He was a member of a number of battalions. As a member of the 4th Battalion he was posted to Malaysia during the confrontation with Indonesia. After his return to Australia he was posted to the 3rd Battalion. He returned to the 4th Battalion on being posted to Vietnam in 1967, serving in a signal platoon. He returned to Australia in 1968. On completion of his 6 year service contract he left the army having reached the rank of corporal.

Peter L. Garton (1943 -)

Peter joined the army and was trained at Pt Cook for the army aviation wing. On completion he became a commissioned officer and served in Vietnam during 1968, flying spotter planes to assist the artillery. He is the son of Gladys Hunter and Leonard Garton. (This information is subject to verification)

Check the internet links below:-

            Home page for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission

            Home page for the National Archives of Australia

            Veteran Affairs WWII Nominal Roll

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