Private Joseph Whiteside Hunter
Joseph Whiteside Hunter was born on 19 May 1898 at Drumlamph, Magherafelt, County Londonderry, the fifth of seven children of physican Mitchell Godfrey Hunter and his wife Jennie (née Moorhead). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at 20 Victoria Terrace, Portstewart, with his mother, five of his siblings and an uncle. (His father and seventh sibling were living at Magherafelt.)
Hunter enlisted in the North Irish Horse between 28 and 30 July 1916 (No.2227). He trained at the regiment's Antrim reserve camp before embarking for France around January 1917, where he was posted to one of the squadrons of the 1st or 2nd North Irish Horse Regiments.
In August-September 1917 the 2nd NIH Regiment was disbanded and its men, together with some surplus to the needs of the 1st NIH Regiment, were transferred to the Royal Irish Fusiliers, an infantry regiment. Most, including Hunter, were transferred on 20 September and posted to the 9th (Service) Battalion – renamed the 9th (North Irish Horse) Battalion – joining it in the field at Ruyaulcourt five days later. Hunter was issued regimental number 41233 and posted to D Company.
He probably saw action with the battalion at the Battle of Cambrai in November and December 1917.
Hunter was one of the many posted as missing following the 9th (NIH) Battalion's fighting withdrawal from St Quentin from 21 to 28 March 1918 during the German spring offensive. It was later learned that he had been captured on 22 March near Seracourt, when much of D Company found itself surrounded and isolated by the fast-moving German advance.
On 25 May 1918 the Mid-Ulster Mail reported that:
Dr. and Mrs. Hunter, Magherafelt, have received a P. C. [postcard] from their son, Private Joe Hunter, of the Royal Irish Fusiliers, that he is a prisoner in Germany. Only the official intimation that he was missing from 21st March having been received the parents naturally were most anxious as to his fate, and were greatly relieved on receiving his P. C.
Hunter remained a prisoner until the end of the war, held at the Stendal camp in Germany. He arrived back in England, at Dover, on 27 November 1918. On 14 October 1919 he was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve. He was granted a pension due to 'debility', which was attributed to his military service.
Soon after the war Hunter was living at Laurel Villa, Magherafelt. He was later employed as a civil servant and by 1954 was living at Dunleady Cottage, Dundonald, Belfast. He died on 19 December that year at Holywood when hit by a passing car (see below).
Hunter's brother, William Moorhead Hunter, also served during the war, in the North Irish Horse and Royal Irish Rifles.
Belfast News-Letter, 6 January 1955