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Swinburn Hunter, 2nd Y.L.I 3 years 1 month ago #81227

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Swinburn Hunter

Private, 2nd Battalion, Yorkshire Light Infantry – Anglo Boer War

- Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Belmont, Modder River, Transvaal & Wittebergen to 5440 PTE S. HUNTER, 2: YORKS: LT. INF.

Swinburn Hunter was born in Monk Hesleden in Durham, the son of George Hunter, a Miner by occupation, employed at the Castle Eden Colliery, and his wife Ann, born Errington, in 1877. The first sighting we have of him comes courtesy of the 1881 England census where, at the age of 3, he was at home with his parents and siblings, William (18), Rebecca (17), Joseph (13), Sarah (9) and Isabel (6).

Ten years later, at the time of the 1891 England census, a 14 year Hunter was lodging with the Parker family at 161 East Adelaide Street, Westoe. The family would appear to have hit hard times – Hunter’s mother had passed away in 1883, when he was 6 years old and, as a result of the depression that had hit the small mining town and its environs, they had lost their house.

With grinding hardship an ongoing feature in his life, it was no wonder that Swinburn Hunter decided to don a uniform, enlisting with the 2nd Battalion of the Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry as a Private with no. 5440.

As the 19th century drew to an end, long-simmering tensions between the two Boer Republics in far-away South Africa and the British administration, boiled over into a declaration of war on 11 October 1899. Initially, the British were caught napping, with only a small military presence in their two adjacent colonies of Natal and the Cape, with which to confront the foe. The Boer forces moved rapidly to besiege what they regarded as key towns, Ladysmith, Kimberley and Mafeking, fighting and winning some decisive battles along the way in what became known as Black Week, at the end of December 1899.
Word was sent out for more men, and these began to flood into the country from not only the United Kingdom but other crown colonies as well.

Hunter’s regiment, the 2nd Battalion, K.O.Y.L.I, was part of the small British fore in South Africa when the war broke out, having been brought from Mauritius, and was employed at strategical points in the Cape Colony until Lord Methuen was ready to advance northwards – to the relief of Kimberley. They then formed part of the 9th Brigade along with the 1st Northumberland Fusiliers, half of the 1st Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, and the 2nd Northampton Regiment.

At the battle of Belmont, fought on 23rd November 1899, the Yorkshire Light Infantry were in the supporting line, and the only casualties they had were a few men wounded. Major Earle was mentioned in Lord Methuen's despatch of 26th November 1899.

At Enslin on the 25th they played a very prominent part, and if they did not lose so heavily as the Naval Brigade, that is accounted for by their not crowding in the attack and making better use of the ground. Their losses were approximately 8 men killed, 3 officers and 40 men wounded.

At the decisive battle of Modder River, the services of the battalion were invaluable. After the attack by the Guards Brigade on the right had come to a standstill, or, more correctly, a lie still, the 9th Brigade bored in on the left, and two companies of the Yorkshire Light Infantry under Colonel Barter, with some Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and Fusiliers, assaulted and carried some buildings on the near side of the river which commanded the drift. The battalion's losses were approximately 1 officer and 8 men killed, and 3 officers and 50 men wounded.

At Magersfontein on 11th December, the 9th Brigade were employed demonstrating on the British left; but the Yorkshire Light Infantry were detached from the brigade for the day, their task being to protect Lord Methuen's right and prevent the enemy from the Jacobsdal-Kimberley road breaking in on the rear of the Highland Brigade. As matters turned out, they had plenty of work, the enemy pushing in with some force. The battalion kept their ground. Their losses were not heavy.

When Lord Roberts was preparing to advance from Bloemfontein he created some new brigades. One of these, the 20th, was put under Major General A H Paget. It consisted of the 2nd Yorkshire Light Infantry, transferred from the 9th Brigade, 1st Munster Fusiliers, 4th South Staffordshire Regiment, and 4th Scottish Rifles. After crossing from Hoopstad to the Kroonstad district Lord Methuen's division—that is, the 9th and 20th Brigades—had some fighting in the Lindley district, and in the beginning of June Paget's brigade was left to garrison Lindley.

In the operations in the Brandwater Basin which ended in the surrender of Prinsloo, Paget's force took part. On 25th June a large convoy left Kroonstad for Lindley. The escort was 800 mounted men, a wing of the Yorkshire Light Infantry, the 3rd East Kent, four guns City Imperial Volunteers' Battery, and two of the 17th RFA, the whole under Colonel Brookfield, 14th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry. The convoy was heavily attacked on the 26th and 27th by the enemy, 1500 strong, with two guns, but his attacks were all driven off and the convoy was brought in. On the 26th June Private C Ward of the Yorkshire Light Infantry gained the VC for volunteering to carry a message to a signalling station through a storm of bullets. He insisted on returning to his force, and in doing so was severely wounded.

During July 1900 there was almost constant fighting up to the date of Prinsloo's surrender on the 30th. After that the battalion was railed to the Transvaal, and marched past Lord Roberts in Pretoria on 13th August. Along with the 2nd Northumberland Fusiliers, 2nd Worcesters, and 1st Border Regiment, the battalion was put into a column under Clements, which for some months operated between Rustenburg, Krugersdorp, and Johannesburg.

Twenty-two men of the Yorkshire Light Infantry under a lance-corporal were among the escort of a convoy which was attacked on the Pretoria-Rustenburg road on 3rd December 1900. The escort "fought with great gallantry" and were able to save one-half of the convoy. Out of their 23 present the Yorkshire Light Infantry lost 5 killed and 6 wounded. It is not known if Hunter was part of this escort.

Four companies of the battalion were with General Clements when he met with the disaster at Nooitgedacht on 13th December 1900. The half-battalion formed the rear-guard and did splendid work. They lost 6 killed and 5 wounded and about 46 men were taken prisoner. Unofficial accounts stated that the men of the battalion fought very well. For gallant conduct in these affairs 4 non-commissioned officers and men were mentioned in Lord Kitchener's despatch of 8th March 1901.

In 1901 the battalion was chiefly in the Eastern Transvaal. They formed part of General Alderson's column, one of those which under General French swept to the Zulu border in January, February, and March 1901. For a time, the battalion was garrison at Elandsfontein. On 31st October 1901 they made a particularly fine march to go to the assistance of Colonel Benson's column. In the last phase the battalion was chiefly in blockhouses about Ermelo.

Having completed his service, Hunter was returned to England where, after his final years with the Colours, he was placed on the Reserve. He was awarded both the Queens as well as Kings medals for his efforts. That he reverted to his roots came as no surprise, he returned to County Durham and became a Coal Miner. The 1911 England census has him living at 14 Hirst Street, Wheatly Hill, Thornley, County Durham. He had married in 1905 but, the child then born of the union, Meeburn Hunter, had sadly died in 1908, the year he was born, whilst Hunter was employed at the Ludworth Colliery. A Stonemason by trade, he worked underground in the mines. To help with expenses he and his wife had taken in a lodger, Robert Mackenzie, and had a 3 year old nephew living with them, Frederick Griffiths.

Three years later, on 4 August 1914, the world found itself at war. This time it was Great Britain versus Germany and every able-bodied patriot flocked to the recruiting offices in their towns and villages to join up to fight the Hun. Hunter, despite being 37 years old, didn’t hesitate – enlisting with the Yorkshire Regiment, he was assigned the rank of Private with no. 8828 – entering the theatre of war – the Western Front – on 14 November 1914.

Hunter’s personnel records didn’t survive the Blitz in World War II but we do know that he survived the war – being placed on a disability pension on 11 April 1919. For his services he was awarded a 1914 Star trio.

One would be forgiven for thinking that someone who had served their country through two wars would be able to head back to their employ and eventual retirement without disturbance, but this was not to be Hunter’s fate – he passed away on 29 April 1931 at the age of 58. The Northern Daily Mail of Saturday, 2 May 1931 carried a report, entitled, Two Attempts at Verdict – Wheatley Hill Inquest – Question of an Alleged Strain. This report read as follows:

‘After deliberating in private for half an hour, the jury at a Wheatley Hill inquest last night announced that they could not agree upon their verdict. Coroner Deavey asked them to retire again to reconsider and after a further half hours deliberation, they agreed that “Death was due to pneumonia, but that there was not sufficient medical evidence to show whether or not an alleged strain had accelerated the pneumonia.”

The Coroner announced that the verdict was “Death from natural causes.” The inquest was held on Swinburn Hunter, a Stoneman employed at Wheatley Hill Colliery, who died on Wednesday. Mrs Jane Hunter said that her husband came home from work on April 20 suffering from pain in the side, stating that he had strained himself at work.

Joseph Plant of 42 Roderick Street, Station Town, who was working “narrows” with Hunter, said they were lifting a baulk of timber 9 feet long by 15 inches by 6 inches when Hunter shouted that he had felt a “click” in his side. He reported the matter to the shot firer, R Thornton, who painted the seat of injury with iodine. Hunter worked his shift out.

Dr Sweeney of Wheatley Hill said he examined Hunter on the 24th and found him suffering from pleurisy. He again saw Hunter on the 27th and found he had developed pneumonia. Dr Sweeney said that in his opinion the death was due to pneumonia. Stating that he didn’t think the alleged strain had anything to do with pneumonia.

Dr Sweeney said Hunter may have had a strain, but that it was difficult to find a strain unless it was very severe.

When the jury came back to the rooms after their second deliberation, the foreman asked if any evidence could be given relating to the post-mortem examination, which had been held earlier in the day, but the Coroner replied that the post-mortem examination was “unofficial” and had nothing to do with the inquest.’

Was this a cover-up? We will never know.