Photo: Dorothy Hall
17728 Lance Corporal
J.W. Hunt
Durham Light Infantry
11th January 1916 Age 23
At Rest
Son of George and Mary Hunt; husband of Frances Hilda Hunt, of 44, Galgate, Barnard Castle. Born at Middleton-in-Teesdale.
Peter Wise and Brenda McMahon have submitted the following:-
John, born at Middleton in Teesdale in 1892, was the only child of George and Mary. The couple had 2 children together but only John survived. His father was a labourer at Whinstone quarry.
The 1911 census shows the family living together at Rose Cottage in Middleton. Now John is 18 he has a job as assistant grocer at Middleton Co-op. He later worked at Walter Willson’s in Barnard Castle.
He married Frances Hilda Wigham in 1915. They had a son together, George, born June 30th 1915.
John had enlisted at Barnard Castle on September 3rd 1914. His service records show him to be 5’10” tall, 136 lbs with a light complexion and blue eyes. His faith was Church of England.
He was reprimanded on April 25th 1915 at Lark Hill Camp, Salisbury Plain ‘when on active service for attending a church practice without taking a shave’ for which he was admonished.
He was sent to France on July 20th 1915. The Teesdale Mercury 10/11/1915 reported that John had ’paid a visit to his native town last week being on a few days holiday from the trenches. Numerous friends gave him a cordial welcome.’
During November/December 1915 whilst serving in France John attended a field ambulance station due to P.U.O. (pyrexia (raised temperature) of unknown origin often applied to trench fever.) He was treated at various centres but did not improve. On December 2nd 1915 he was admitted to a hospital in Etaples with pneumonia and pleurisy. He was then sent back to England for care at the North Evington Military Hospital, Leicester where he died on January 11th 1916. His total service amounted to 1 year and 131 days.
The army questioned records as to whether John’s pneumonia was due to his war service. The outcome is unknown.
His widow received 15/- per week pension.
John W. Hunt is remembered at Barnard Castle on B135.02, B135.23 and B135.25 and at Middleton in Teesdale on M39.01 and M39.02
He is also remembered in the DLI Book of Remembrance page 5
