William Edward Hunter

A Private with the 7th Battalion, William died on 28th of May 1918 aged 31.

William was born at Carlton Colville in 1887, a son of Henry John and Elizabeth Hunter. He was baptised at Saint Peter’s Church, Carlton Colville, on 24 April 1887. In 1891 his family lived at Ship Corner, Carlton Colville, and by 1901 at South Elmham Terrace, Carlton Colville. In 1911 their home was at 18 Sycamore Avenue, Oulton Broad, and William was a boot repairer.

William enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft. He joined the Leicestershire Regiment, service number 40036, and was posted to France to join the 7th Battalion. William was wounded and his name appears in the official casualty list, the War Office Daily List, dated 8 November 1916. By May 1918 he was serving with IV Platoon in A Company.

On 28 May 1918 the 7th Battalion withdrew from Luthernay Farm to Pevy, but found the village full of Germans, so they formed a line on high ground above Prouilly but were forced back to the south bank of the Vesle, west of Muizon. William was reported missing on that day and later presumed to have been killed. William had been buried near Berry-au-Bac and his grave marked with a cross. His body was exhumed and identified from his identity disc, before he was reburied at Hermonville.