Just Another Pair Of Socks

Melton District ANZACS

Thomas Edward HUNTER

Personal

Born: 30 June, 1884

Birthplace: Toolern Vale

Parents: George Hunter
Emma Burton

Died: 11 December, 1941

Place of death: Heidelberg, Victoria

Burial place: Springvale Lawn Cemetery, Springvale, Victoria

Awards and Honours

  • British War Medal 1914-20
  • Victory Medal

Battalions

33rd reinforcements, Field Artillery; 2nd Divisional Ammunition Column; 14th Battery, 5th Brigade, Australian Field Artillery

Events

Enlistment

Regimental Service Number: 38976

Enlistment date: 21 April, 1917 Melbourne

Age at enlistment: 32 years 9 months

Address at enlistment: Wandin

Religion: Methodist

Marital Status: Married

Next of kin: Wife: Nellie Isabel Hunter

Physical Description: Height: 5 feet 11 inches
Weight: 171 pounds
Complexion: Fresh
Eyes: Grey
Hair: Brown
Distinctive marks: Scars on both knees

Embarkation ship: H.M.A.T. Indarra.

Rank: Gunner

Return Date: 23 March, 1919

Return Vessel: S.S. Cluny Castle.

Arrival at Australia: 22 May, 1919.

Discharge Date: 14 June, 1919

War Service Summary

21/04/1917 - Enlisted
11/06/1917 - At Maribyrnong
26/11/1917 - Embarked from Melbourne aboard H.M.A.T. Indarra
22/12/1917 - Disembarked; Suez
22/01/1918 - Entrained to Alexandria; ex Suez
23/01/1918 - Detrained to Camp A, Gabbari; Alexandria
29/01/1918 - Embarked H.M.T. Abbassiah ex Alexandria
04/02/1918 - Disembarked to No. 9 Rest Camp; Taranto
07/02/1918 - Entrained; Taranto
14/02/1918 - Detrained; Chabourg; Embarked H.M.T. Prince George
15/02/1918 - Disembarked Southampton, England; to Heytesbury
07/07/1918 - Proceeded to France
11/07/1918 - Marched in to Australian Base Depot; Rouelles
17/08/1918 - Gunner, taken on strength 2nd Aust. Divisional Ammunition Column; France
24/08/1918 - Transferred to 5th Field Artillery Brigade, taken on strength 14th Battery
06/03/1919 - Marched out from field for return to Australia
11/03/1918 - Marched out to England ex Harve.
12/03/ 1919 - Disembarked at Southampton from France; Proceeded to Sutton Veny
23/03/1919 - Embarked SS Cluny Castle ex Devonport for return to Australia
22/05/1919 - Disembarked Australia
14/06/1919 - Discharged

War Service Commemerated

Life After the War

Names of wife & children:
07/04/1909 Married Nellie Isabel Reid at Toolern Vale

Children:
Leslie George (1909-1963)
Thomas Henry (1911-1971)
Lawrence Clifford (1913-2003) 
Nellie Margarete Freeman (1915-2014)
Billy Norma Beryl (1917)
Ronald Birdwood (1920-1994)
Harold Geoffrey (1921-1942)
Betty Joan (1924-2007)
Leonard Maxwell (1926)

Place/s of residence :
Wandin
Stanhope
Oakleigh
Footscray

Occupations:
Orchardist
Farmer
Labourer
Driver

Date of death;
11/12/1941

Place of burial:
Fawkner Cemetery; transferred to Springvale Lawn Cemetery on death of Nellie in 1973.

Other relevant information:
Seven of his 9 children enlisted in World War 2. Harold Geoffrey, of the 39th Division, was killed on the Kokoda Trail, New Guinea.

Relationships:
Thomas is the son of George Hunter and Emma Burton. Emma is the daughter of Thomas and Margaret Burton, early settlers of Toolern Vale, and the sister of Sabina Burton who married Thomas' bother William Hunter. Sabina and William resided in Toolern Vale.

Thomas is the cousin of:
Robert Burton, Service No. 4451
William Burton, Service No. 4452
Percy Burton, Service No. 79050

Sources

Australian War Memorial
Service Record
Embarkation Roll
Family sources