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 Corporal (Temp.)
Thomas Peck Hunter
43rd Royal Marine Commando |
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Lake Comacchio, Italy
In Italy during the advance by the commando to its final
objective, Corporal Hunter of ' C' troop was in charge of a Bren
group of the leading sub-section of the Commando. Having
advanced to within four hundred yards of the canal, he observed
the enemy were holding a group of houses south of the canal.
Realising that his troop behind him were in the open, as the
country there was completely devoid of cover, and that the enemy
would cause heavy casualties as soon as they opened fire,
Corporal Hunter seized the Bren gun and charged alone across two
hundred yards of open ground. Three Spandaus from the houses,
and at least six from the north bank of the canal opened fire
and at the same time the enemy mortars started to fire at the
troop.
Corporal Hunter attracted most of the fire, and so determined
was his charge and his firing from the hip that the enemy in the
houses became demoralised. Showing complete disregard for the
intense enemy fire, he ran through the houses, changing
magazines as he ran, and alone cleared the houses. Six Germans
surrendered to him and the remainder fled across a footbridge on
to the north bank of the canal.
The troop dashing up behind Corporal Hunter now became the
target for all the Spandaus north of the canal. Again, offering
himself as a target, he lay in full view of the enemy on a heap
of rubble and fired at the concrete pill boxes on the other
side. He again drew most of the fire, but by now the greater
part of the troop had made for the safety of the houses. During
this period he shouted encouragement to the remainder, and
called only for more Bren magazines with which he could engage
the Spandaus. Firing with great accuracy up to the last,
Corporal Hunter was finally hit in the head by a burst of
Spandau fire and killed instantly.
There can be no doubt that Corporal Hunter offered himself as a
target in order to save his troop, and only the speed of his
movement prevented him being hit earlier. The skill and accuracy
with which he used his Bren gun is proved by the way he
demoralised the enemy, and later did definitely silence many of
the Spandaus firing on his troop as they crossed open ground, so
much so that under his covering fire elements the troop made
their final objective before he was killed. Throughout the
operation his magnificent courage, leadership and cheerfulness
had been an inspiration to his comrades."
London Gazette _ 8th June,1945
He is buried in the Argenta Gap War Cemetery in Italy. King
George VI presented his VC to his parents at a private
investiture on 26th September at Holy-rood House.
In March 1954 a plaque was placed to his memory on eight houses
in Stenhouse, Edinburgh. His Corps Memorial, in the form of a
ship's bell, was unveiled at the Depot RM, Lympstone in 1946.
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