The 1891 Census records show James Hunt (4) living with his parents Daniel (36) Occupation – Labourer and Maud (36), and his siblings John (12), Mary Alice (10), Rosamond (2), Arthur (6) and Daniel (3 months) at 40, Back Lane, Bradford, Yorkshire.

The 1901 Census sees James (Jim) aged 14 living with his father Daniel (46) Occupation – Railway Labourer, and his siblings Arthur (16), Daniel (10), Mary Alice, (20), Rose Ann (12) and Elizabeth (8), at 43, Collins Street, Bradford, Yorkshire.

The Army Service Records for James Hunt have survived.

According to these records James attested to the Army on the 19th August 1903 at the age of 15 years 10 months. His occupation was listed as a Rivetter. His religion was Roman Catholic.

SERVICE

Lichfield 21/08/03 James was appointed ‘Drummer’ in August 1904 H.T. Soudan 13/11/07 – 28/11/07 South Africa 29/11/1907 Pretoria 1/12/1907 – 20/1/1911 H.T. Soudan 21/1/1911 – 15/2/1911 Lichfield 16/2/1911 – 26/9/1913 Aldershot 27/9/1913

OVERSEAS

Home 13/03/1915 – 18/02/1916

The records also detail that James was wounded: Gunshot – Wounds R. Leg, Arm & Face at Givenchy (10/03/1915). And that he was awarded the *Distinguished Conduct Medal (01/08/1915) and the **Cross of the Order of St George 3rd Class (Russia) (25/08/15).

[*Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) Awarded for gallantry in the field, a distinguished award for bravery for NCOs and soldiers of the British Army, second only to the Victoria Cross for other ranks.]

[**Cross of the Order of St George A state decoration of the Russian Federation. The award was given out to the lower ranks of the military (including foreigners) for ‘undaunted courage’. A second notable act would give the recipient the 3rd class cross.]

James Hunt was discharged (18/02/1916) on Medical Grounds, after 12 years and 184 days service. He was awarded a Silver War Badge. He also received the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.

• Bradford Daily Telegraph 12th July 1915: 'Another Local Hero Acting Corporal J Hunt, of the 2nd South Staffordshire Regiment who has been granted the Distinguished Conduct Medal is a Bradford lad…'

• The Bradford Daily Telegraph on Friday 3rd September 1915:

'Bradford Roll of Honour Acting Corporal J. Hunt, 145, Folkestone Street, Bradford, of the 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment, who was granted the Distinguished Conduct Medal, has been awarded the Russian distinction of the Cross of the Order of Saint George (3rd class). This distinction was granted for conspicuous gallantry on March 10th.' 

'During an attack on the German position, he stood on the parapet throwing bombs into the trench and using his rifle. He remained in this dangerous position about 15 minutes, under heavy fire until severely wounded. Subsequently he directed an attack from a ‘Jack Johnson’ hole, when reinforcements arrived, though he had been shot in the right arm and right leg. In the photo he is seen sitting up in bed in the military hospital.'

• Bradford Daily Telegraph 21st April 1916:

'Gallant Soldiers Decorated at Valley Parade “The Lord Mayor of Bradford (Councillor Thos. Howarth) officiated on Saturday in decorating Acting-Corporal James Hunt of the South Staffordshire Regiment with the D.C.M. and the Cross of the Order of St George (Third Class) conferred by the Tsar of Russia…”

• The London Gazette of 30/6/1915 shows the award of the D.C.M. to James:

6784 Acting Corporal J. Hunt of the 2nd Bn S. Staffords

“For conspicuous gallantry on the 10th March 1915, near Givenchy, when during an attack on the German position, he stood on the enemy’s parapet throwing bombs into the trench and using his rifle remaining there for about 15 minutes under heavy fire until severely wounded. Subsequently he directed an attack of reinforcements from a shell hole.”

Extracts from the 2nd Bn South Staffordshire Regiment’s War Diary for the 10th March 1915 (Givenchy) give some details of the attack during which James was injured.

“Attack…on enemy position NORTH EAST of Givenchy, after artillery bombardment commencing at 7.30 a.m. the infantry advanced in three columns against the enemy’s trenches…advanced against enemy’s trenches in front of DUCK’S BILL just EAST of GIVENCHY. The advance commenced from three previously prepared points in our line where traverses had been built…and a portion of the parapet had been knocked down to allow the men to leave the trench…As soon as the men left the shelter of our parapet they were subjected to a very severe crossfire from machine guns (2) in the German trench which at this point was 80 yards distant from our own. A certain number of men reached the German trench but were unable to remain there…attacked with the object of capturing a machine gun…but none of them returned…men got into the German trench on the right but they were bombed out by the enemy…another party…was also sent forward but no permanent lodgement could be effected in the enemy’s trenches. Eventually the attack ceased…ordered to reform…a fresh bombardment would take place …followed by a fresh assault… …made arrangements for the fresh assault. Since the Germans had their machine guns trained on the positions from which previously assaulting parties had left our trenches it was decided that the men should get over the parapet by means of sandbag steps erected in different parts of the line…the bombardment commenced…the leading sections advanced only to be mown down by machine gun fire as soon as they had surmounted our parapet…the German were not heavily been cut and their trenches having suffered very slightly from the preliminary bombardment it was decided after consultation…not to press the assault further…'

As the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s ‘Eyes On Hands On’ volunteer with responsibility for Bradford (Bowling) Cemetery I was always interested in the ‘stories’ of the WW1 soldiers whose headstones I looked after. Having been born and brought up in the nearby area, many of the names I came across seemed familiar to my childhood and I was interested to know more about who they were. The C.W.G.C. ‘For Evermore’ online archive gives me the opportunity to share my research into their lives.

We Will Remember Them...

• Ancestry U.K.

• C.W.G.C.

• The British Newspaper Archives

• South Staffordshire Regiment’s War Diaries

• David Whithorn

• Robert Moran (Hunt Family Member)