Thomas Peck Hunter
Corporal, 43rd Royal Marine Commando
- Register No.
- 610 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Corporal (register: Temp. Corporal) all Corporals →
- Unit
- 43rd Royal Marine Commando (register: 43 Commando) all 43 Commando VCs →
- Date of action
- 2 April 1945 on this day → all of 1945 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Second World War
- London Gazette
- 12th June 1945 on this day → all of 1945 →
- Born
- 6th October 1923 at Aldershot, Hampshire
- Died
- 2nd April 1945 at Lake Comacchio, Italy. (Killed in action)
- Award
- Posthumous all posthumous VCs →
- Memorial / grave
- grave in Argenta Gap War Cemetery, Italy and a ship's bell and plaque at Lympstone Royal Marine Depot. (1946). Eight houses at Stenhouse Street West were dedicated to his memory in March 1954
- Medal held by
- the Royal Marine museum, Eastney Barracks,
Digest of citation
On 2nd April, 1945 at Lake Comacchio, Italy, Corporal Hunter, who was in charge of a Bren gun 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 Spandau machine guns were lodged. So determined was his charge that the enemy were demoralised and six of the Gunners surrendered, the remainder fled. He cleared the house, changing magazines as he ran and continued to draw the enemy fire until most of the Troop had reached cover and he was killed, firing accurately to the last
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
HUNTER, Thomas Peck. (reg No. 610).
Corporal. 43rd Royal Marine Commando..
London Gazetted on 12th June 1945.
VC Medal's Custodian is the Royal Marine museum, Eastney Barracks, Southsea, Hants.
Born on 6th October 1923 at Aldershot, Hampshire.
Died on 2nd April 1945 at Lake Comacchio, Italy. (Killed in action).
Memorial at grave in Argenta Gap War Cemetery, Italy and a ship's bell and plaque at Lympstone Royal Marine Depot. (1946). Eight houses at Stenhouse Street West were dedicated to his memory in March 1954.
Digest of Citation reads: On 2nd April, 1945 at Lake Comacchio, Italy, Corporal Hunter, who was in charge of a Bren gun 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 Spandau machine guns were lodged. So determined was his charge that the enemy were demoralised and six of the Gunners surrendered, the remainder fled. He cleared the house, changing magazines as he ran and continued to draw the enemy fire until most of the Troop had reached cover and he was killed, firing accurately to the last.
Additional information:. He was the son of Ramsey and Mary Hunter. His father had been a regular soldier and on leaving the service became a civil servant. The family moved to Stenhouse, Edinburgh where, until the age of 14: Thomas was educated atTynecastle Intermediate School. He became an apprentice stationer studying its skills at St Leonard's in the evenings. He studied French at the Royal High School. At the outbreak of war he served for 18 months in the Home Guard. On 8th May 1942 he was called up for military service. On 23rd June 1942 he enlisted in the Royal Marines as a "Hostilities Only "* Marine. At a Private Investiture at Holyrood House, Edinburgh, Corporal Hunter's parents were presented with his Victoria Cross on the 26th September, 1945. In 1975, apart from the 1939-45 Star, Italy Star and the 1939-45 War Medal, it was proved he was entitled to the British Defence Medal.
*Not quite sure what this means. Possibly the duration of the War.
From Alf's photographs
Tom Hunter VC - Memorial (gallery)
Additional information
He was the son of Ramsey and Mary Hunter His father had been a regular soldier and on leaving the service became a civil servant. The family moved to Stenhouse, Edinburgh where, until the age of 14: Thomas was educated atTynecastle Intermediate School. He became an apprentice stationer studying its skills at St Leonard's in the evenings. He studied French at the Royal High School. At the outbreak of war he served for 18 months in the Home Guard. On 8th May 1942 he was called up for military service. On 23rd June 1942 he enlisted in the Royal Marines as a "Hostilities Only "* Marine. At a Private Investiture at Holyrood House, Edinburgh, Corporal Hunter's parents were presented with his Victoria Cross on the 26th September, 1945. In 1975, apart from the 1939-45 Star, Italy Star and the 1939-45 War Medal, it was proved he was entitled to the British Defence Medal. War.
*Not quite sure what this means. Possibly the duration of the
Southsea, Hants.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: grave in Argenta Gap War Cemetery, Italy and a ship's bell and plaque at Lympstone Royal Marine Depot. (1946). Eight houses at Stenhouse Street West were dedicated to his memory in March 1954
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
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