Alfred James Hunt

Alfred James was the third son of Francis and Eliza Jane Hunt (née Docking). Both his parents were born in Tuddenham, Suffolk; Francis in 1845 and Eliza in about 1851 and baptised at Tuddenham St Mary on 16 February 1851. They were married in 1872 (registration Mildenhall Suffolk) and had nine children, one of whom died in infancy: Maud Alice b. Elvedon 1875, Charles William b. Elvedon 1877 (reg. J/F/M) d. 1877 (A/M/J), Ada Elizabeth b. Elvedon 1878 (reg. J/F/M), William Ernest b. Elvedon 1880, Laura Mary b. Elvedon 1883 (reg. J/F/M), Lilian b. Herringswell 1885, Eliza James b. Herringswell 1888 (reg. J/F/M), Alfred James b. Herringswell 1891 and Stanley George b. Herringswell 1893. In 1881 Francis, a farm labourer, and Eliza were living at Summerpit Farm, Elvedon, Suffolk, with their three children Maude (5), Ada (3), William (under 1 year). Their first son, Charles, who was born in 1877, had died the same year. By 1891 the family had moved to Herringswell and were still living in the village in 1911 although they moved house several times. In 1901 they were living on The Street, Warren Hill. Francis was now working as a horse keeper. Only four of their eight children were in the home on the night of the census: William an under-gamekeeper, Eliza (13) a telegram messenger, Alfred (9) and Stanley (7). By 1911 only Stanley, a shepherd, was still living with his parents. In 1911 Alfred James was an assistant gamekeeper and living with Thomas Bailey, a gamekeeper, and his wife at The Black Firs, Marston Green Birmingham. Alfred married Ada Annie Richards (b. 1886) in 1915 (O/N/D Nottingham) and they lived at 105 Cinderhill Road, Bulwell, Nottingham. Ada married secondly William George Huntley in 1927 and in 1939 they were living on Mansfield Road, Arnold, Nottingham. William was a newsagent and general store keeper. George died in 1956 and Ada on 13 March 1971. The probate record gave Ada's address as Broomhill Road, Bulwell.

In 1911 he was an assistant gamekeeper

Enlisted at Coventry.

2nd Bn Coldstream Guards Alfred James Hunt was killed on 16 September 1916 and is buried in Guards' Cemetery, Lesboeufs, France (grave ref. VIII.P.9). CWGC - Guards' Cemetery (extract): 'Lesboeufs was attacked by the Guards Division on 15 September 1916 and captured by them on the 25th. It was lost on 24 March 1918 during the great German offensive, after a stubborn resistance by part of the 63rd Bn. Machine Gun Corps, and recaptured on 29 August by the 10th Bn. South Wales Borderers. At the time of the Armistice, the cemetery consisted of only 40 graves (now Plot I), mainly those of officers and men of the 2nd Grenadier Guards who died on 25 September 1916, but it was very greatly increased when graves were brought in from the battlefields and small cemeteries round Lesboeufs.' (3141 casualties)

WMR 4549: Herringswell war memorial, The Street, Herringswell, Suffolk IP28 6ST - Alfred Hunt Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 19 October 1916: ‘Hunt. Killed in action, September 14th (sic) 1915, Lance-Corporal Alfred James Hunt, Coldstream Guards, the beloved husband of Ada Annie Hunt. Silently mourned. From his sorrowing wife.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post In Memoriam 14/9/1917: 'Hunt. In loving memory of my dear husband L Cpl Alfred James Hunt Coldstream Guards 105 Cinderhill Road killed in action September 14th 1916. He sleepeth with the unreturnable brave, one year of silent sorrow - From his sorrowing wife and sister Maud [Maude Alice Hunt].' Probate: Hunt Alfred James of 105 Cinder Hill-road Bulwell Nottinghamshire lance-corporal in HM Army died 15 September 1916 in France Administration Nottingham 6 December to Ada Annie Hunt widow. Effects £86 10s. Registers of Soldiers' Effects: his widow Ada Annie was his legatee. Research by David Nunn