Pte 28291 William Wynn Hunter

• Age: 24
• From: Huyton, Liverpool
• Regiment: 6 S LANCS REGT
• Died on Tuesday 11th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Amara War Cemetery
  Panel Ref: XIV.H.7

William Wynn Hunter was born in Huyton, Liverpool on the 21st September 1891, the son of William Hunter and his wife Elizabeth Margaret (née Wynn) who were married on the 12th October 1889 at the Parish Church, St Helens. William was a 29 year old potter of Little Woolton, father William a bricksetter, whilst Elizabeth was aged 22 of “Rising Sun”, East Street, father William a deceased Publican. He was baptised on the 18th Oct 1891 at St Mary’s, Prescot. 

On the 1891 Census they are lodging with the McGarry’ family at “Old Carrs”, Whiston Village. His father, William, is aged 30, a potter born in Whiston, wife Elizabeth M. is aged 22, born in Tarbock, daughter Sarah E. is aged 1.  

Whiston Pottery was on Pottery Lane, off Dragon Lane. 

By the 1901 Census the Pottery Works had either declined or closed and the family cannot be found, but they must have been in the locality as son James’ birth is registered in Prescot.     

On the 1911 Census the family are living at 14 Cross Vale Road, Huyton. His father, William, is aged 50, a jobbing gardener, his mother Elizabeth is aged 44. They have been married for 22 years and have had 9 children, all of whom have survived. Eight of the children are in the household; William is aged 19, a yard labourer in the Insulated Cable Works, Charlotte 17, Jane 14, James 12, George 8, Leslie 6, Joseph 4, and Henry 1. 

William married Elizabeth Emma Milne on the 09th August 1915 at St. Michael's Church, Huyton. Elizabeth was born on the 30th December 1890 in Rochdale. On the 1911 Census Elizabeth is the 20 year old niece of Walter and Florence Nichols living at 33 Grant Street, St Helens.    

William enlisted in Liverpool on the 01st October 1915 as Private 31357, joining the 21st Reserve Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment. He gave his age as 24 years, address “Beverley”, Tarbock Road, and occupation a jewellers porter. He was described as being 5’ 5” in height, weighed 125lbs, with a 34" chest.  

His clothing record just before he shipped out included 2 x boots, 1 cap, 2 x drawers, 2 x jacket, 1 x puttees, 2 x trousers, 1 waistcoat.  

His service records show:-     

01.10.15 - posted to 21/KLR at Liverpool.     

05.05.16 - posted 3rd Btn. South Lancs (Prince of Wales Volunteers) with regimental number 28291.   

08.05.16 - absent from Tattoo, 10 days C.B. and forfeit of 3 days pay. 

21.05.16 - transferred to 6th Btn. South Lancs.     

22.05.16 - Embarked at Devonport for Mesopotamia.     

13.06.16 - Disembarked Busra (now Basra, Iraq).   

07.07.16 - Joined Btn. for duty at SHEIKH SA’AD. 

There is a strong possibility he went sick going up river from Basra, went straight off the river steamer into the Field Ambulance at Sheikh Sa’ad and never really “joined” his battalion. William died of acute enteritis on 11th July 1916 at the 40th Field Ambulance.   

The newspapers pick up on the conditions there:- 

The Liverpool Evening Express of Thursday 20 July 1916: 

120 IN THE SHADE. 

HEAT EXCESSIVE IH MESOPOTAMIA. 

BRITISH OFFICIAL.  

The secretary of the War Office made the following announcement this afternoon. Since the last communique was issued on the 13th inst. there have been no occurrences of interest reported from Mesopotamia. Owing to the failure of the shimal the heat is excessive. For some days the shade temperature has been over 120 degrees(49c). 

["shimal" is a the passage of a cold front, which is the leading edge of a cold air mass.] 

The Surrey Advertiser of Wednesday 30 August 1916 reported:  

DIED IN MESOPOTAMIA.   

Twenty-Two Deaths from Illness In The Queen’s.   

Diseases due to the climate have been responsible for a number of deaths among The Queen’s in Mesopotamia, especially, we gather, among the more recent arrivals, who were not so used to the heat, and to the precautions necessary to preserve good health. Twenty-three deaths occurred between June 13th and July 13th, eleven from cholera, three from heatstroke, one accidental drowning, and the remainder from various diseases.   

Pte. 28341 Alexander Coupe, 6th South Lancashire Regt (formerly 24950 of the 18th Pals), 45 Northcote-road, Walton, died from the effects of heat also on the 11th July.  

Pte. 28291 Harold Franson, 6th South Lancashire Regt (formerly 30842 of the 18th Pals), 132 New Chester Road, Tranmere, died from the effects of heat on the 16th July. 

His death was reported in the Liverpool Daily Post on Wednesday 20 September 1916, but there were no subsequent family notices. 

DIED. 

South Lancashire Regiment – Coupe, 28341 A.; Doherty, 2394, G. (St Helens enlst.); Franson, 28387, H. (Birkenhead); Hunter, 28291, W. W. (Huyton); Tomlinson, 11397, W.; 

He was originally buried at Amara Old Cemetery. 

He now rests at Amara War Cemetery, over 100 miles north of Basra. 

Amara was occupied by the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force on 3 June 1915 and it immediately became a hospital centre. The accommodation for medical units on both banks of the Tigris was greatly increased during 1916 and in April 1917, seven general hospitals and some smaller units were stationed there. Amara War Cemetery contains 4,621 burials of the First World War, more than 3,000 of which were brought into the cemetery after the Armistice. 925 of the graves are unidentified. In 1933, all of the headstones were removed from this cemetery when it was discovered that salts in the soil were causing them to deteriorate. Instead a screen wall was erected with the names of those buried in the cemetery engraved upon it. Plot XXV is a Collective Grave, the individual burial places within this are not known. There are also seven non-war graves in the cemetery. 

In April 2016, The Times, reported that the cemetery had seriously deteriorated, with plaques falling from the memorial wall and the Cross of Sacrifice smashed. The perimeter wall and other cemetery infrastructure are also damaged. A man who described himself as the caretaker reported the cross being blown up one night in 2006. The CWGC commented that they had not been able to work in Iraq since 1991, but the cemetery would be restored when conditions allowed. 

His widow Elizabeth Emma received his Soldiers Effects, War Gratuity and a Pension of 10/- pw. There were no children from the short marriage.

On the 1921 Census still at ““Beverley”, Tarbock Road, she is the 30 year old servant of Harry S. Hayes, the married managing director of Oldfields Jewellers Ltd, Old Post Office Place, Liverpool. Presumably this is where William worked as the “jewellers porter”. 

His widow, Elizabeth, remarried to John Dennett in 1922 at St Mary’s, Prescot. She died, aged 49, in 1941. 

On the 1939 Register his parents are still at 14 Crossvale Road. Father William, dob 22nd July 1860, a retired gardener,  Margaret E., dob 12th July 1868, are with sons Jack(b.1914) and Henry(b.1909).  

His father died at home, aged 83, on the 13th January 1945. 

His death was reported in the Liverpool Echo - Tuesday 16 January 1945: 

HUNTER—Jan. 13, at 14 Crossvale Road, Huyton in his 84th year, WILLIAM, beloved husband of Elizabeth Hunter. (Sadly missed All.) Service at Huyton Congregational Church, to-morrow (Wednesday), at 3 p.m.; interment at Huyton Cemetery. 

His mother possibly died, aged 89, in 1957. 

We currently have no further information on William Wynn Hunter if you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.