kindly contributed by Janice Brooker
Arthur HUNT and Ada BENNETT were married just before the First World War broke out. She was born in Folkestone in 1890. Arthur was a regular soldier in the King's Royal Rifle Brigade.
They had five children - four sons and one daughter.
Arthur served through the First World War and returned to his wife and family, but in the Second World War his sons were not so fortunate .......
Charles was the second son of Ada and Arthur. He attended George Spurgeon School, in Sidney Street, Folkestone, and left at 14 to join the Royal Navy. He served on the Royal Navy ships Ganges, Sussex, Valiant, Ramillies, Gaillard and Wakeful. His cousin remembers him visiting his old school to talk to the children about his life in the Navy. He had a sweetheart in his home town, Dorothy WARD, and they married on 18th April 1940 at St John's Church. They only met once more before his death which occurred six weeks after their wedding.
Dunkirk
Charlie was Leading Torpedo Operator on HMS Wakeful, an Admiralty W Class Destroyer. In May1940 she was diverted from her duties to assist in the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from France. On Wednesday 29th May she was carrying 650 evacuees from the Bray Dunes beach near Dunkirk back to Dover. At a quarter to one in the morning she was hit amidships by a torpedo fired by E Boat S-30 of the German Navy. The torpedo broke Wakeful in two and she sank in 15 seconds. Of those on board only 25 crew and 1 evacuee were saved. The Royal Navy Corvette Sheldrake scuttled her wreck the next day.
HMS Wakeful
In February 2001 the British and Belgian governments announced their intention to move HMS Wakeful from her position 13 miles off the Belgian coast near Nieuport. At present she lies in shallow water, only 57 feet below the surface, a major hazard in one of the world's busiest shipping lanes. As a military grave for 690 soldiers and sailors her re siting in Summer 2002 will be done with the greatest care and respect.
Charles HUNT (1916 - 1940) is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial.
Arthur was the eldest son of Arthur and Ada.
At the outbreak of the war he joined the Royal East Kent Regiment (The Buffs) as a private in the 10th Battalion.
He was killed in an accident whilst on a training exercise in Devon on 13th July 1942.
Arthur Stephen HUNT (1914 - 1942) is buried in Tavistock, Devon.
Stanley was the youngest son of Ada and Arthur. Stanley followed his brother Charlie to the sea, but as an Able seaman in the Merchant Navy. He served aboard the SS Corinaldo one of the ships of the Donaldson Line.
SS Corinaldo left South Africa for Britain in the Autumn of 1942. On 30th October she was sailing in a convoy in the Atlantic when she was attacked by three U Boats in succession: U - 509 and U - 659 both hit and damaged her, and then two hours later she sank after being torpedoed again by U- 203.
Stanley HUNT (1920 - 1942) is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial.
Frederick was the third son of Ada and Arthur.
Fred joined the 5th Battalion of the Buffs, like his older brother Arthur. He had been made Lance Corporal before he was captured and taken to Germany as a prisoner of war. He remained there until May 1944 when he was returned to England under a repatriation scheme.
Unfortunately Fred was seriously ill, and he died in a military hospital in Chester from lung collapse, less than three weeks after his arrival from Germany. His mother was unable to visit him before he died on 14th June 1944. His body was returned to Folkestone.
Frederick HUNT (1919 - 1944) is buried at Folkestone New Cemetery, Hawkinge.
From the Folkestone Herald 3rd June 1944
HUNT In loving memory of my three dear sons, Charles HUNT, lost his life at sea, Dunkirk 28th May 1940, also of Arthur July 13th accidentally killed 1942, also of Stanley, lost his life at sea October 29th 1942. Many a heartache, many a tear, leaving us memories of the ones we loved dear. From their loving Mum.
From the Folkestone Herald 17th June 1944
LOST FOUR SONS IN WAR
When war was declared, Mrs HUNT, 5 Allendale Street, Folkestone had four sons. Today Mrs HUNT, a widow, is mourning the death of her only surviving son. The others made the supreme sacrifice earlier in the war
Only Ada and her daughter Winifred were left, Arthur HUNT senior having died on 1st January 1927. Winifred never married and remained at home to care for her mother.
The story of the HUNT brothers might have been lost had my father not told me about his four cousins who all died in the war .
April 2002
* Taken from the tomb of the Duchess of Newcastle in Westminster Abbey " all the brothers were valiant, and all the sisters virtuous."