Joseph Hunter

War Service

Joseph enlisted in November 1914 at Pontefract into the 9th Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment. This was a service Battalion and formed as part of K3 of Kitchener’s Army. His service records have survived and show parts of his service.
9th Battalion and 8th Battalion were part of 70th Brigade of the 23rd Division. They landed at Boulogne in August 1915. Their area of service was in northern France, around Armentiers and Arras. In September they were part of a diversionary attack in Bois Grenier area as part of the Battle of Loos.
Then they moved to the Somme, where they took part in many of the battles of that offensive. Joseph was wounded twice, once by shrapnel to his right hand in April 1916 and in July 1916 he suffered a gun shot wound to his right hand. In December 1916 he was promoted to Lance Corporal.
In January 1917, shortly after returning from home leave, Joseph was in a wiring party within 20 yards of the German lines. He was wounded by a sniper and later died from his wounds.
He is buried in Railway Dugouts Burial Ground just south of Ypres. It is probable he was brought to the dressing station here before he died.
The family had many letters from Joseph, some they sent to the Pontefract & Castleford Express. He expressed his appreciation of gifts sent out to the troops, was keen to hear news from home and to share news of other Knottingley soldiers. He was also thoughtful of spiritual things. They continued to remember him in the Roll of Honour, as did his fiancée Ada Gibson.

Family Life

Joseph Hunter was born in 1896, in Knottingley. He was the first child and only son of George Hunter and Ethelinda Scott born Robinson. He was followed by sisters Marie and Doris.
Ethelinda’s family roots were in Knottingley and had some links to mariners. George was born in Hemswell in Lincolnshire and his roots were in farming, his father at one time was a shepherd. George began work as a farm boy and moved on to become a farm servant, still in Lincolnshire. At some point he moved to Yorkshire to continue his farm work, where he met and married Ethelinda in 1894 at St Giles Pontefract.
He then moved to Knottingley and worked at the Glassworks. George and Ethelinda lived at various times in Jacksons Row, Cow Lane and Croft End.
Joseph followed his father to work in the Glassworks, where he was apprenticed as a glass blower.

Joseph Hunter

A handkerchief he sent to one of his sisters

Joseph's Hunter's gravestone

A memorial card his family had printed

Joseph Hunter's Memorial Plaque