Donald Hunter
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Donald Hunter
Copyright: Full Ahead, Summer 2024
Bilde 1 av 3
Londonregisteret:
Registernummer under krigen: London 75815. (2cards in file, same number).
"Full Ahead", 2021, page 4:
"At the age of 16 I attended the London Radio College and qualified as a Merchant Navy Radio Officer. At the end of 1943 I joined my first ship, the S.S. Empire Pickwick L.S.I. (Landing Ship Infantry) as a radio officer and fire control officer, gunnery officer and fire control officer. In early 1944 our ship would complete its refit and take part in "Operation Neptune", the code name of the Royal and Merchant Navy Landing Fleet on D-Day on the 6th June 1944. [...]"
I served in the Merchant Navy as a Radio Officer on three Norwegian ships during WW2, in the Battle of the Atlantic. These included the M.T. Thorshov (motor tanker) from 8/8/44 to 21/9/44 from the UK to the USA, the S.S. Viggo Hansteen American built liberty ship from 21/9/44 to 23/12/44. Its area of operation was in the USA, North Atlantic, North Africa and Italy. The thirs ship I served on was M.V. Gard (a high octane aviation fuel tanker) as Chief Wireless Officer from 4/1/45 to 10/8/45. This took us to the USA, North Atlantic, Sicily. Italy, Haifa, The Red Sea. Iran, The Persian Gulf and India."
"Full Ahead", Summer 2024, page 37-38, by Ian Hunter:
"Don served in the Merchant Navy as a Radio Officer on three Norwegian ships during WW2, in the Battle of the Atlantic. These included the M.T. Thorshov (motor tanker) from 8/8/44 to 21/9/44 from the UK to the USA, the S.S. Viggo Hansteen American built liberty ship from 21/9/44 to 23/12/44. Its area of operation was in the USA, North Atlantic, North Africa and Italy. The third ship Don served on was the M.V. Gard (a highoctane aviation fuel tanker) as Chief Wireless Officer from 4/1/45 to 10/8/45. This journey took Don to the USA, North Atlantic,
Sicily, Italy, Haifa, The Red Sea, Iran, the Persian Gulf and India. His valiant effort on board these ships was an important contribution for the allied victory.On 9 February 2020, Don was awarded the prestigious Norwegian King’s Commemorative Gold Medal. This is a royal decoration of Norway and was established in 1906 by King Haakon VII. It is awarded to individuals for particularly meritorious service to the King. Donald Hunter was awarded this medal for his valuable service in helping to restore freedom in Norway.
To honour Donald Hunter, we must continue to tell future generations the stories of those who experienced the war. Not just as historical information, but as a continued discussion of the values that these stories illustrate for us today – so we that we may never forget what thousands of people in our countries suffered, worked towards, and sacrificed their lives for.
Kenneth Zachariassen, who served with the Norwegian Armed Forces for over 30 years had this to say about Don “He was an idol for us all. He will keep on inspiring us in many years to come!”, “his work both recently and historically is impressive and invaluable to us all. A leading star for younger generations!”, “It would be an honour to contribute with some words to our hero’s funeral”.
Don was born in Harrow, Middlesex in 1926 and met Jean at a dance hall when he was serving as a Radio Officer. They married two years later in 1947 and shortly after had a son called Ian. When in his teens, Ian followed in his father’s footsteps and joined the Merchant Navy and served on the Queen Elizabeth 11. Don left the Merchant Navy in 1950 and the family moved to Bournemouth. They bought a 12 bedroomed hotel and ran a successful business for many years. After that both Don and Jean worked for British Aerospace at Hurn Airport in Bournemouth, Don as an electronics engineer. Jean and Don moved to Ashford, Kent in 1997 and worked tirelessly throughout their lives to commemorate Merchant Navy sailors and to tell their stories to future generations.
A military funeral for Don took place on Monday 22 April 2024 at St Mildred’s Church, Tenterden, Kent. Eulogies were read by Vivien Foster OBE - President of the Merchant Navy Association, Commander Nicholas Chatwin OBE - Royal Navy (Retired), Major Andrew Kerr -Royal Engineers (Speaking on Behalf of The Royal Norwegian Naval Attaché and Roger Round - Past Chairman HMT Lancastria. Following the service Don’s body was laid to rest alongside his late wife Jean in Tenterden Cemetery."
Kilder
RA/S-2081/F/Fe/Feb/L0013
"Full Ahead", The Merchant Navy Association, 2021 (www.mna.org.uk)
"Full Ahead", The Merchant Navy Association, Summer 2024
