Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

WILLIAM HERBERT HUNT Regimental No. 950

William Herbert Hunt was born in 1894 in Helensburgh NSW to Rose Cooper and Negus Edward Hunt of Sherbrooke.
He was the second of eight children, one of only three boys. His siblings were Negus Edwin, Prescott Henry, Minnie Elizabeth, Mary A V, Alma R, Rita M and Sylvia I.
He attended school in Helensburgh. In 1910 when he was 16 his father Negus was killed in a mining accident at the Metropolitan Mine at Helensburgh. William was known as Bert as he had two cousins named William one being my grandfather.
After leaving school he became a bushman. His mother remarried in 1912. She married Robert W Mangles. He was a good man to take on eight children. He and Rose had Dulcie M in 1913.

William Herbert Hunt joined the army he enlisted on12th September 1914 at Kensington, Sydney, shortly after war was declared in August 1914. His regimental number was 950. He was in C. Coy, 2nd Battalion. He was 20yrs 8mths old. He was 5ft 8inches tall. He had a fair complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. His religion was Church of England.
He embarked Sydney on 18th October 1914 on A23 Suffolk.
He disembarked at Alexandria on 8th December 1914. He spent the next few months training.
He landed on Gallipoli on the 25th April 1915 in the second wave of troops to land. We all know what horrors faced William we have all seen many films depicting the death, sickness and injuries.

On 7th May 1915 William was wounded. He was transferred to A36 Lutzow. He died of wounds on board on 8th May 1915 and was buried at sea between Gallipoli and Alexandria.
William Herbert Hunt was the first soldier killed from the region. Even though William’s mother Rose Mangles was listed as his next of kin the Army required her to prove his father was deceased. They preferred not to deal with women. On proving that Negus was killed in a mining accident 11 years earlier his mother Rose received his personal effects. Consisting of 1 note book, 1 gift box, 1 tin with stones, photos and letters.
His mother also received his 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal and Memorial plaque.

William is listed on Lone Pine Memorial and the Australian War Memorial.
William was mentioned in the Bulli Council minutes as being the first local lad to die in the Great War.

When William Herbert Hunt died, my grandfather’s family were told my grandfather had died. He was William Henry Hunt also of Helensburgh. When my grandfather returned home from the war his sister fainted upon opening the door and seeing him as she thought he had died.