Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

HERBERT HUMPHREYS HUNTER who was killed near Krithia on Gallipoli on 15th May 1915 was the son of Mr. G. F. Hunter of Bendigo. He was born in 1881 and came to the School in 1900, having already made a name for himself as an athlete.
He was in the football and athletic teams of 1900, and at a special sports meeting in Sydney in 1901 created a world's record for a schoolboy's long jump (21 ft. 11 in.).

After leaving School in 1901 he won the long jump championship of Australasia in 1901, the long jump championship of Victoria in 1900, 1901, 1902 and 1904, the 100 yards championship of Victoria in 1900, 1902 and 1904, and the 220 yards championship of Victoria in 1902. He resided at Trinity College during 1903 and 1904, and
gained a double Blue (football and athletics) at the Melbourne University.

He took up the profession of dentistry, and graduated L.D.S. Victoria 1904; D.D.S. (Pennsylvania, U.S.A.) ; and M.A.C.D. (Victoria) 1905. He was noted in sport at Pennsylvania. On his return to Victoria he settled at Bendigo, and when the war broke out he was regarded as having one of the best dental practices outside Melbourne.

He was Lieutenant 67th Infantry Brigade, A.M.F. This is a short history of the facts of Herbert Hunter's career prior to the declaration of war. He was a most popular man, a leader in anything he took up, and when the call came he enlisted at once. On the day the Council of the Old Melburnians visited Broadmeadows camp, when a remark was made about young men giving up everything for the war, with characteristic modesty his only reply was : "Well, what could
a chap do? A man could not stop out." This was the man-a champion athlete, an organiser, a leader of men-he thought nothing of the pleasant life of a professional man in his native city, but gave it all up.

He was appointed Captain in the 7th Battalion, and in all that went to make up the life of the camp he was a leader. The sports meetings and boxing competitions saw him taking an active
part, and in Egypt he organised a Stadium and acted as referee in the boxing contests there.

The story of his death is shortly told : On the morning of the
ever-memorable Landing on Gallipoli, in getting out of a boat he sprained his ankle but he would not give in, and though his foot was badly swollen he limped along at the head of his men. Some days after, in the assault of Krithia, he was shot in the foot and was carried out of the firing line. Some distance back, in what appeared to be a position of safety, his bearers laid his stretcher down, and the dressers were binding up his wound when a stray bullet, almost spent, landed between them and shot Herbert Hunter through the head, killing him.

Thus died a brave, energetic, soldierly man who. earned and commanded the respect of all.

Herbert Humphreys Hunter, known as ‘Herb’, was born in Bendigo, the son of George Frederick & Elizabeth Hunter.   He was a Doctor of Dental Surgery, 32 years & 9 months old, and lived in Short Street, Bendigo.   He was a fine athlete and held titles including the Victorian 100 & 220 yards, and the Victorian and Australian Long Jump titles.   His previous service in the militia included Promotion to 2nd Lieut (1908), 1st Lieut (1911), and Captain (1913),   He was currently serving as O.C. Bendigo Battalion 67th Infantry.   

On August 14, 1914, Colonel H. E. Elliott, who had been appointed to command the 7th Battalion Expeditionary Force, was charged with the task of raising a battalion to be drawn from the existing 17th (Territorial) Brigade Area.   Elliott immediately asked for a list of recommended officers to be forwarded from each local unit.    The name of Captain Herbert Humphreys Hunter was included in this list.   Colonel Elliott telegraphed Captain Hunter asking him to report for an interview.   Approved by Elliott, Captain H. H. Hunter was asked to apply for a commission in the 7th Battalion, Expeditionary Force.   Captain Hunter was subsequently appointed as O.C. ‘G’ Company, 7th Battalion.  He arrived in Broadmeadows Camp on 19/8/14.   

An Infantry Sports Meeting was held in October.    Captain Hunter: “We have all settled down to our work and the boys are doing very well.   This is no idle boast, as No. 3 section of G Co won the battle section competition.   There are 32 sections in the battalion, so I consider it a very good performance, and I feel very proud of my men.   In our field work we have come in for our share of favourable criticism.   We are all a happy family.   Some, of course, come in for punishment, but very few, and those who do take it smiling.   We have no bad offenders in the company, and the offences are only minor ones.   We all feel proud to be able to represent Bendigo, and I feel sure the country boys will not be far behind.”   [Letter.  Bendigo Advertiser   October 17, 1914]   

Prior to embarkation H. H. Hunter was Entertained by the officers of the 67th Battalion and presented with a memento.    He was also Entertained by the members of the Bendigo Football League, and presented with a sword inscribed with the words: “Presented to officer commanding G Company, 7th Battalion, 1st A.I.E.F. by the Bendigo Football League.”   

The 7th Battalion left Broadmeadows Camp on 18 October, 1914, and embarked for service overseas on board HMAT ‘Hororata’.   Arriving in Egypt the battalion moved into camp at Mena, at the foot of the pyramids.   (6/12/14)     

In January, 1915, the Australian force was re-organized.   In the 7th Battalion ‘G’ and ‘H’ Companies joined to form the new ‘D’ Company.      This meant that all the men from Northern Victoria were together in one Company of 228 men.    Captain Blezard, formerly O.C. ‘H’ Company assumed the command of the new ‘D’ Company.    Captain Hunter, formerly O.C. ‘G’ Company was appointed second in command.   

The amenities at Mena Camp continued to improve.   The Mess Rooms provided extra comfort, as did additional YMCA rooms.   Recreation was greatly improved by the construction of a Battalion Boxing Stadium.   Captain Hunter was closely associated with this stadium, assisting not only in the management, but also frequently acting as referee in the bouts.

The 7th Battalion was part of the force which landed at Anzac Cove on 25th April, 1915.

Captain H. H. Hunter: “I had the misfortune to twist my ankle before we got right into it.   I think a piece of shell must have struck me after, as well, by the look of it.   I had hit the ground, too.   I fell once when a shell burst, but thought it was my ankle giving away under me.   I was leading a first line forward at the time, acting as second in command.”   [Letter: Bendigo Advertiser   June 23, 1915]

Hunter: “I was in a hotter place on the Monday afternoon, but did not take much notice of the shrapnel.   It is wonderful how you ignore it after a time.   Our boys are very careless, and will not take cover when ordered.   Our material is of the best all right.”  [Hunter Letter.   ibid]   

On April 30th the battalion moved down the valley and had an opportunity to re-group and re-organize.   Men were promoted in place of those who had been wounded or killed.     The men who remained in ‘D’ Company were re-organized into 2 platoons.   Captain Hunter took over as company commander in lieu of Major Blezard  who had been seriously wounded, sustaining a bullet wound in the chest.  

In May, Lieut.-General Sir W.R. Birdwood, in command of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, was asked to provide part of the Australian force to assist in a British offensive at Cape Helles.    The 2nd Australian Brigade, which included the 7th Battalion, was one of two brigades provided.    The 7th Battalion left Anzac and disembarked at ‘V’ Beach, Cape Helles, on May 6th.  The battalion moved forward on May 8th in what was later known as the “2nd Battle of Krithia”  (8-11 May).   This battle achieved minimal gain and casualties were extremely high under constant Turkish fire.  

Captain H. H. Hunter was KIA on 8/5/15, during the 2nd Battle of Krithia, Cape Helles, having sustained a wound in the heel early in the advance.  The dressing stations were set up behind the line, wherever some slight cover might be found, but the wounded were still subjected to gunfire.    Captain Hunter was carried back to have his wound dressed, but was struck in the head by a bullet while lying on the ground.   He died instantly.

His gravesite was unidentified and his name was inscribed on the wall of the Helles Memorial.

Lieutenant-Colonel Bolton, commanding officer of the 8th Battalion, spoke later of Captain Hunter.   “He was one of the most popular men in the whole division, and as fine a man and soldier as one would ever wish to meet anywhere . . .   I did not see him die, but I was told about it by one of the A.M.C Corps [sic] who was with him when he died.   On the day he was wounded there were about 1000 men lying on the ground dying and wounded.   At this time there was only a very small number of A.M.C. to deal with the situation, and the stretcher-bearers were under fire the whole of the time.   Fully 50 per cent of the A.M.C. were wounded.   About midnight they came across Capt. Hunter who had been wounded in the leg.   He had been there for some time, but made no complaint, and took his turn with the men in waiting for a stretcher.   When his turn came he was being conveyed to the receiving station to have his wounds temporarily dressed, when he was shot in the head and killed immediately.   He hadn’t gone 50 yards.   It was one of the hardest pieces of luck I have ever encountered.   He was such a fine young fellow.”    [Bendigonian   August 26, 1915]   

Many tributes were paid to his memory.    The Football game in the Upper reserve was stopped for a minute’s silence and the pennant lowered to half mast; a committee meeting of the South Bendigo Football Club was adjourned in respect; and letters of condolence were sent to Captain Hunter’s relatives from the Bendigo City Football Club and the Bendigo Football League.

The Victorian Amateur Athletics Association issued a Memorial Challenge Shield in honour of H. H. Hunter.   The shield was to be awarded for perpetual competition at annual track championships.

Mention of Captain Hunter’s death was made during a service at All Saints’ Pro-Cathedral.   The Rev. Canon Percival said that he had known Captain Hunter personally, and believed “There was no more enthusiastic soldier than he amongst those who wore the King’s uniform.”  [Bendigo Advertiser   May 24, 1915.]

The Bendigo Chamber of Commerce and Industries observed a few moments’ silence and passed the motion: “The chamber deeply deplores the loss of Captain H. H. Hunter, who was a member of this chamber, and one of Bendigo’s brilliant, courageous men – for whom we cherished the greatest regard and esteem.”  [Bendigo Advertiser   May 27, 1915]

“The First Lot.   7th Battalion.   The first men of the Bendigo district to volunteer for service in the First World War.”: Larna Malone