Christ College Remembers…Lieutenant C G R Hunter

Charles Gawain Raleigh Hunter joined School House in October 1907. While at school his portrayal of Caroline Dormer in the 1908 Christmas Theatricals caused much amusement. He left in December 1910, having “won the affection and respect of all who knew him”.

He became a clerk to the manager at the Triumph Motor Cycle Works near Coventry then followed his father into the Army in August 1911 as a 17 year old Second Lieutenant and served in Ireland. His obituary in The Breconian records that, after a short period in the Army, he emigrated to the Argentine. He returned to England at the outbreak of war and was commissioned into his old regiment, the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, on 14th August 1914.

In December 1914 Charles and 60 men joined the depleted 2nd Battalion which had been fighting in Flanders since the outbreak of war. At the commencement of the Second Battle of Ypres the Battalion was called on to assist in holding the Canadian line which was being subjected to heavy bombardment. The Battalion Diary records that the trenches preparatory to an advance were so crowded with Canadian Highlanders that newcomers had to lie out in the open under shell-fire.

Lieutenant C G R Hunter was one of a large number of men who died on the open ground on 24th April 1915. He was 21 years old. His body was never found. He is remembered at the Menin Gate and at the Pirbright Memorial in Surrey as well as on the Christ College War Memorial.