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There can be no doubt that
Corporal Hunter offered himself as a target in order to save his Troop, and only the speed of his movement prevented him being hit earlier. The skill and accuracy with which he used his Bren gun is proved by the way he demoralised the enemy, and later did definitely silence
354:
machine-guns were lodged. So determined was his charge that the enemy soldiers were demoralized and six gunners surrendered. The remainder fled. Hunter cleared the house, changing magazines as he ran and continued to draw enemy fire until most of the troop had reached cover, Hunter was killed, firing
520:
on the other side. He again drew most of the fire, but by now the greater part of the Troop had made for the safety of the houses. During this period he shouted encouragement to the remainder, and called only for more Bren magazines with which he could engage the
Spandaus. Firing with great accuracy
494:
Corporal Hunter attracted most of the fire, and so determined was his charge and his firing from the hip that the enemy in the houses became demoralised. Showing complete disregard for the intense enemy fire, he ran through the houses, changing
852:
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The Troop dashing up behind
Corporal Hunter now became the target for all the Spandaus on the North of the canal. Again, offering himself as a target, he lay in full view of the enemy on a heap of rubble and fired at the
1041:
283:
on 6 October 1923, one of five children of Ramsey and Mary Hunter (a former soldier and civil servant), who moved to
Edinburgh shortly after his birth. Hunter attended Stenhouse Primary School and
461:, he observed the enemy were holding a group of houses South of the canal. Realising that his Troop behind him were in the open, as the country there was completely devoid of cover, and that the
307:
and was called up on 8 May 1942 for military service. He enlisted as a hostilities–only (HO) marine on 23 June 1942. He was promoted LCpl on 6 October 1943 and
Temporary Cpl on 25 January 1945.
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section, offered himself as a target to save his troop. Seizing the Bren gun, he charged alone across 200 yards of open ground under most intense fire towards a group of houses where three
1031:
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Victoria Cross recipient and a number of buildings, memorials and organisations are named after him. Scotland also honours one of her heroes. Known memorials and tributes are:
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many of the
Spandaus firing on his Troop as they crossed open ground, so much so that under his covering fire elements of the Troop made their final
907:
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had taught during recuperation in 1917) before becoming an apprentice stationer in
Edinburgh. Hunter's nephew, is Scottish First Minister
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from the houses, and at least six from the North bank of the canal opened fire and at the same time the enemy
521:
up to the last, Corporal Hunter was finally hit in the head by a burst of
Spandau fire and killed instantly.
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surrendered to him and the remainder fled across a footbridge onto the North bank of the canal.
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Nothing Much to Lose – The Story of 2nd
Battalion Royal Marines and 43 Commando Royal Marines
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his magnificent courage, leadership and cheerfulness had been an inspiration to his comrades.
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649:– a plaque placed on one of a small development of eight houses in Stenhouse in March 1954.
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Hunter
Company (formerly Hunter Troop) at the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines.
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when the following incident took place. He was awarded the VC for his actions during
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presented his VC to his parents at a private investiture on 26 September 1945 at
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561:. In September 1974 the medal was donated by his sister and nephew to the
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to its final objective, Corporal Hunter of "C" Troop was in charge of a
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The memorial to Thomas Peck Hunter outside Ocean Terminal in Edinburgh.
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in plot III.G.20. The Royal Marines treasure the memory of their only
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gun and charged alone across two hundred yards of open ground. Three
886:. Bournemouth: 43rd Royal Marines Commando Reunion. pp. 54–55.
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VCs are securely stored, the medal on display there being a copy.
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The late Corporal (Temporary) Thomas Peck HUNTER, CH/X. 110296,
255:(6 October 1923 – 3 April 1945) was a British recipient of the
605:, Eastney – Personal display in medal room and also named on
363:(SBS) was also awarded a VC posthumously in the same action.
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of the Commando. Having advanced to within 400 yards of the
48:
Detailed view of the inscription on the Edinburgh memorial
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Memorial at Porto Garibaldi, Italy – unveiled April 1992.
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Hunter is buried at the Argenta Gap (CWGC) War Cemetery,
720:"School's Victoria Cross hero honoured at memorial move"
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as soon as they opened fire, Corporal Hunter seized the
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has been graciously pleased to approve the award of the
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British World War II recipients of the Victoria Cross
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80:
53:
34:
27:
British recipient of the Victoria Cross (1923–1945)
599:, Scotland – Memorial to Thomas Hunter (pictured)
355:accurately to the last. Danish national, Major
1032:Royal Marines personnel killed in World War II
806:(Supplement). 12 June 1945. pp. 3087–380.
499:as he ran, and alone cleared the houses. Six
8:
1022:Scottish military personnel killed in action
817:
815:
813:
622:Stenhouse Primary School, Edinburgh – Plaque
303:At the outbreak of the war he served in the
1037:Royal Navy recipients of the Victoria Cross
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711:
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346:, Corporal Hunter, who was in charge of a
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1047:People educated at Tynecastle High School
609:memorial in the museum's Memorial Garden.
315:Hunter was 21 years old, and a temporary
679:
371:Cpl Thomas Hunter's VC citation in the
7:
662:Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines
1057:Burials at Argenta Gap War Cemetery
952:The Register of the Victoria Cross
688:"Victoria Cross Holders, Scotland"
635:– Display and tribute adjacent to
25:
1062:Military personnel from Aldershot
1017:Military personnel from Edinburgh
972:
140:
121:
42:
718:Fraser, Gemma (30 March 2010).
912:Royal Marines Official Website
857:Royal Marines Official Website
325:Spring 1945 offensive in Italy
1:
827:Royal Marines Regimental site
882:McConville, Michael (1992).
654:Buildings and Organisations
1052:British Home Guard soldiers
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940:British VCs of World War 2
445:during the advance by the
426:43rd Royal Marine Commando
275:Thomas Hunter was born at
908:"What is Hunter Company?"
751:"RM Reserve Depot, Exton"
597:Ocean Terminal, Edinburgh
453:group of the leading sub-
41:
277:Louise Margaret Hospital
106:Argenta Gap War Cemetery
664:accommodation block at
628:, Edinburgh – Memorial.
593:Memorials and Tributes
481:started to fire at the
375:of 12 June 1945 reads:
626:Tynecastle High School
615:Memorial Ship's Bell,
422:Special Service Troops
285:Tynecastle High School
246:
535:before he was killed.
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152:Years of service
954:(This England, 1997)
948:(David Harvey, 1999)
946:Monuments to Courage
631:Gibraltar Building,
603:Royal Marines Museum
563:Royal Marines Museum
361:Special Boat Service
1027:Royal Marines ranks
942:(John Laffin, 1997)
833:on 8 September 2008
338:On 2 April 1945 at
803:The London Gazette
772:"Victoria Cross H"
465:would cause heavy
250:Thomas Peck Hunter
247:
36:Thomas Peck Hunter
18:Thomas Peck Hunter
918:on 21 August 2010
853:"Corporal Hunter"
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16:(Redirected from
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980:Biography portal
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914:. Archived from
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863:on 26 April 2009
859:. Archived from
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690:. Archived from
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587:Second World War
407:for valour to: —
329:Second World War
321:43 (RM) Commando
287:(where the poet
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196:Italian Campaign
191:Second World War
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694:on 5 March 2012
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660:Hunter Block –
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569:, where all 10
544:Throughout the
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333:Operation Roast
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299:Military career
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201:Operation Roast
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959:External links
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405:VICTORIA CROSS
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88:(aged 21)
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1067:John Swinney
992:Find a Grave
920:. Retrieved
916:the original
911:
902:
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877:
865:. Retrieved
861:the original
856:
847:
835:. Retrieved
831:the original
826:
823:"Cpl Hunter"
801:
792:
780:. Retrieved
776:the original
766:
754:. Retrieved
728:. Retrieved
724:The Scotsman
723:
696:. Retrieved
692:the original
682:
619:, Lympstone.
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370:
337:
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293:John Swinney
289:Wilfred Owen
274:
265:Commonwealth
249:
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233:John Swinney
206:
187:Battles/wars
158:
86:(1945-04-03)
84:3 April 1945
29:
1012:1945 deaths
1007:1923 births
798:"No. 37127"
726:. Edinburgh
607:43 Commando
327:during the
323:during the
181:43 Commando
1001:Categories
988:Tom Hunter
965:CWGC entry
675:References
666:HMNB Clyde
633:HMNB Clyde
467:casualties
420:(attached
305:Home Guard
271:Background
117:Allegiance
60:1923-10-06
647:Stenhouse
546:operation
533:objective
518:pillboxes
497:magazines
430:Edinburgh
388:Whitehall
382:ADMIRALTY
281:Aldershot
229:Relations
71:Hampshire
67:Aldershot
922:12 April
867:12 April
837:12 April
782:12 April
756:12 April
730:12 April
698:12 April
642:cabinet.
567:Southsea
515:concrete
475:Spandaus
447:Commando
367:Citation
348:Bren gun
317:corporal
267:forces.
235:(nephew)
171:Corporal
135:Service/
934:Sources
640:Colours
501:Germans
479:mortars
455:section
359:of the
261:British
207:†
159:†
75:England
890:
577:Legacy
219:Awards
203:
137:branch
126:
101:Buried
617:CTCRM
483:Troop
463:enemy
459:canal
443:Italy
352:MG 42
344:Italy
95:Italy
924:2010
888:ISBN
869:2010
839:2010
784:2010
758:2010
732:2010
700:2010
471:Bren
451:Bren
401:KING
399:The
263:and
177:Unit
167:Rank
81:Died
54:Born
990:at
565:in
441:In
428:) (
424:) (
319:in
295:.
279:in
1003::
910:.
855:.
825:.
812:^
800:.
740:^
722:.
708:^
432:).
342:,
335:.
253:VC
108:,
93:,
73:,
69:,
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896:.
871:.
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760:.
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702:.
668:.
485:.
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62:)
58:(
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
