Allied troops being evacuated from Dunkirk, !940

The Hunt Brothers - Arthur, Charles, Frederick and Stanley - were the four sons of Arthur and Ada Hunt(nee Bennett) of Folkestone, Kent

Charles George William Hunt

born: 1916, husband of Dorothy May Hunt

enlisted:

rank: Leading Seaman C/JX134873, HMS Wakeful, Royal Navy

died: 29th May 1940

commemorated: on the Chatham Naval Memorial no known grave

Arthur Stephen Hunt

born: 1914

enlisted

rank: Private 6291690 10th Bn. The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regt.

died: 13th July 1942 commemorated:

buried: at Tavistock New Cemetery, Devon, section R,v grave 174

Stanley Leonard Hunt

born: 1920

enlisted:  

rank: Able Seaman C/JX289212 SS Corinaldo, R.N.

died: 29th October 1942

commemorated: on the Chatham Naval Memorial, Kent no known grave

Frederick Leslie Hunt

born: 1919

enlisted:

rank: Lance Corporal 6288984, 5th Bn. The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regt.)

died: 14th June 1944

Charlie's History

HMS Wakeful was an Admiralty W Class Destroyer (H88). She was diverted from her duties to assist in the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from France. On Wednesday 29th May 1940 she was carrying 650 evacuees from the Bray Dunes beach at 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. 

Before Wakeful had gone far the explosion broke the vessel in two and she sank in 15 seconds. Only 25 crew  and 1 evacuee were saved.

The wreck was scuttled by RN Corvette Sheldrake the following day.

Charles had joined the Royal Navy when he left George Spurgeon School, Folkestone at the age of 14. He served on the Royal Navy ships Ganges, Sussex, Valiant, Ramillies and Gaillard, and at the time of his death he was Leading Torpedo Operator.

He had married Dorothy Ward whilst on leave on 18th April 1940. They only met once again before he was killed six weeks after their wedding.

Footnote: In February 2001 the British and Belgian governments announced their intention to move HMS Wakeful from her position 13 miles off the Belgian coast.  At present she lies in shallow water, only 57 feet below the surface, 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.

Arthur's History

Arthur died as the result of an accident in Devonshire

Stan's History

Stanley was the youngest son of Ada and Arthur.  Hefollowed his brother Charlie to the sea, but as an Able Seaman in the Merchant Navy.  He served aboard SS Corinaldo, one of the ships of the Donaldson Line.

SS Corinaldo left Freetown, Sierra Leone, on 16th October 1942, as part of Convoy SL125.  Convoy SL 125 consisted of 42 ships. On 30th October she was sailing in 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 she fell out of the convoy. Then two hours later she sank after being torpedoed again by U-203. Ten other ships in the convoy were also lost.

Fred's History

Frederick joined the Buffs, like his older brother Arthur, but in the 5th Battalion. 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.