Photo: Keith Callender
Photo: Dorothy Hall
The headstone reads:
In Memory of
John
dearly loved son of
John and Sarah Hunter
of Holmlea, Dipton
died at Red Cross Hospital Winchester
Nov. 7th 1918 aged 33 years
Also the above John Hunter
who died Sept. 1st 1924 aged 75 years
also Sarah Isabella
dearly beloved wife of the above
John Hunter
Died Dec. 30th 1928 aged 79 years
To memory dear
Also Frederick son of the above
Died Feb. 17th 1953 aged 74 years
Mr. Keith Callender writes:
"I have acquired a "Death Penny" named to a soldier John Michael Hunter.
The 'Penny' was bought for me by my wife from Tynemouth Antiques Fair. Having researched the name on the Commonwealth War Graves web site it appears that this can have been only one of two John Michael Hunters.
With the geographical connection to the North East (the other Hunter was a 2nd Lieutenant in the Wiltshire Regt) it is a fair bet that the Penny relates to the John Michael Hunter buried in Dipton.
Due to this "strong" connection and my interest in this part of the world due to my father being from nearby Chopwell, I visited the cemetery and expected to find a CWGC headstone. It appears, however, after communicating with the CWGC, that the family decided not to have one of their headstones and erected their own family tribute.
The headstone states that John Michael Hunter died at the Red Cross Hospital in Winchester on the 7th November 1918 - four days before the armistice.
John was aged 35 years and had the unusual rank of "Shoeing Smith" in the Army Veterinary Corps. His service number was SE/25796."
He died of pneumonia in November 1918 at the Red Cross Hospital, Winchester.
John Hunter is remembered at Dipton on D46.02
