war diary request - 2609268 George Robert HUNT, 4 Grenadier Guards: 14/8/1944

Discussion in 'The Brigade of Guards' started by Buteman, Sep 8, 2015.

  1. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    Hi all,

    Whilst listening to the Family History section of today's Claire Carter show on BBC Radio Gloucestershire this afternoon, I heard a request for information regarding the above Gentleman. The CWGC entry shows the following:-

    Name: HUNT, GEORGE ROBERT
    Rank: Lance Serjeant
    Service No: 2609268
    Date of Death: 14/08/1944
    Age: 38
    Regiment/Service: Grenadier Guards
    Unit: 4th Bn.
    Grave Reference: VIII. B. 20.
    Cemetery: BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY
    Additional Information: Son of George and Bessie Hunt, of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire; husband of Florence Vera Hunt, of Cheltenham.

    The information required is as follows:-

    1. Does anyone have a copy of 4 GG war diary for the day he died.
    2. It is believed he was part of a tank crew, of whom all died, except possibly for one person. A visitor to Bayeux has placed a poppy cross in the past, from a personal friend, no name. Is there any information out there about who may have served in this crew with him.
    3. Finally, the show are trying to trace any living relatives of Lance Serjeant Hunt.
    4. Who do you request his service record from. I presume the same 25 year rule applies in regard to non-relatives being able to apply.

    Any help would be invaluable.

    Kind regards

    Rob

    PS - They kindly gave our site a plug on the radio.
     
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  2. Guy Hudson

    Guy Hudson Looker-upper

    Rob,
    From the Gloucester Echo August 25th 1944. The article states he had three sons and two daughters.
    Guy
     

    Attached Files:

    • HUNT.png
      HUNT.png
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  3. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    That's a great lead. Many thanks Guy.
     
  4. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Hi Rob,


    1. Sorry I don't have a copy of that WD. Drew offered to copy it for someone who posted on the forum but I've no idea if they ordered it from him. I'll check the regtl history and will add if anything turns up in that. [Edit: Nothing stated for that day in either the Regimental history or the 6 Gds Tank Bde history.]

    2. Only one other Grenadier was killed on the same day: this from a search of CWGC records, a skim over the history's roll of honour and a look at the concentration report for him (attached, showing original field graves location), but that's still no guarantee that he was even in the same tank. If others from the crew died, then it could have been from wounds and at a later date.
    HUNT, CONCENTRATION, doc2233370.JPG HUNT REPORT BAYEUX doc2206159.JPG

    http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2326669/
    HILLMAN, REGINALD
    Rank:Guardsman
    Service No:2615895
    Date of Death:14/08/1944
    Age:23
    Regiment/Service:Grenadier Guards 4th Bn.
    Grave Reference: VIII. B. 14.
    Cemetery:BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY

    It's possible that the GG Archivist might find some pre-embarkation list, showing crew designated to a particular tank before heading off to Normandy or, that one exists in the war diary. I've only seen one such list and that was for another gds regiment. Don't know whether or not Bovington could be of any help...


    4. Copy records can be requested from Wellington Barracks. The 25 yr rule applies across the board. See linked post:
    http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/31741-researching-guardsmen-and-the-foot-guards/?p=383783
     
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  5. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    From an Ancestry family tree


    George Robert Hunt
    Birth 1906 in Charlton Kings, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
    Death 14 Aug 1944 in Lt-Sgt. in the 4th Battalion Grenadier Guards

    Birth Details:

    Name: George Robert Hunt
    Registration Year: 1906
    Registration Quarter: Oct-Nov-Dec
    Registration district: Cheltenham
    Parishes for this Registration District: View Ecclesiastical Parishes associated with this Registration District
    Inferred County: Gloucestershire
    Volume: 6a
    Page: 420

    1911 Census:

    Name: George Robert Hunt
    Age in 1911: 4
    Estimated birth year: abt 1907
    Relation to Head: Son
    Gender: Male
    Birth Place: Charlton Kings, Gloucestershire
    Civil Parish: Charlton Kings
    Search Photos: Search for 'Charlton Kings' in the UK City, Town and Village Photos collection
    County/Island: Gloucestershire
    Country: England
    Street address: 5 Oakland Street, Charlton Kings, Glocestershire
    Registration district: Cheltenham
    Registration District Number: 333
    Sub-registration district: Charlton Kings
    ED, institution, or vessel: 5
    Household schedule number: 60
    Piece: 15522
    Household Members:
    Name Age
    George Albert Hunt 31
    Bessie Matilda Hunt 34
    Alfred Mortimer Smart 8
    George Robert Hunt 4
    Gwendoline Bessie Hunt 2
    Winifred Hunt 10/12

    Probable Marriage details:

    Name: George R Hunt
    Spouse Surname: Godden
    Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1933
    Registration district: Bethnal Green
    Inferred County: London
    Volume Number: 1c
    Page Number: 334
    Find Spouse: Find Spouse

    Name: Florence V Godden
    Spouse Surname: Hunt
    Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1933
    Registration district: Bethnal Green
    Inferred County: London
    Volume Number: 1c
    Page Number: 334

    I say probable because the family tree shows 2 x George Robert Hunt - both born in 1906, one died in Texas (2000) the other died in 1944 (CWGC details are as you already have them).
    The one that married Miss Godden shows that they had a daughter in the family tree, but I will continue looking for possible other children, as outlined by Guy above.

    TD
     
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  6. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    From Ancestry probable children are:

    Name: Primrose V Hunt
    Mother's Maiden Surname: Godden
    Date of Registration: Apr-May-Jun 1934
    Registration district: Cheltenham
    Inferred County: Shropshire
    Volume Number: 6a
    Page Number: 591


    Name: Pearl R Hunt
    Mother's Maiden Surname: Godden
    Date of Registration: Apr-May-Jun 1936
    Registration district: Cheltenham
    Inferred County: Gloucestershire, Shropshire, Herefordshire
    Volume Number: 6a
    Page Number: 613


    Name: James J Hunt
    Mother's Maiden Surname: Godden
    Date of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep 1941
    Registration district: Cheltenham
    Inferred County: Gloucestershire, Shropshire, Herefordshire
    Volume Number: 6a
    Page Number: 852


    Name: Janet G Hunt
    Mother's Maiden Surname: Godden
    Date of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep 1941
    Registration district: Cheltenham
    Inferred County: Gloucestershire, Shropshire, Herefordshire
    Volume Number: 6a
    Page Number: 853


    Name: David Hunt
    Mother's Maiden Surname: Godden
    Date of Registration: Apr-May-Jun 1943
    Registration district: Cheltenham
    Inferred County: Gloucestershire, Shropshire, Herefordshire
    Volume Number: 6a
    Page Number: 668

    There is another spurious one :(
    Name: Robert G A Hunt

    Mother's Maiden Surname: Godden
    Date of Registration: Apr-May-Jun 1940
    Registration district: Westminster
    Inferred County: Greater London
    Volume Number: 1a
    Page Number: 639


    I am sure the BBC have access to Ancestry as well :rolleyes:

    TD
     
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  7. Guy Hudson

    Guy Hudson Looker-upper

    Rob,
    I have traced two grandchildren still living in Cheltenham. I will pm the details.
    Guy
     
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  8. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Doing some further searching and expanding the date range for births I have (or rather Ancestry results show) more details

    Name: Angela J Hunt
    Mother's Maiden Surname: Godden
    Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1944
    Registration district: Cheltenham
    Inferred County: Shropshire
    Volume Number: 6a
    Page Number: 679

    and probably her twin (thats 2 sets of twins in the family)

    Name: Ann P Hunt
    Mother's Maiden Surname: Godden
    Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1944
    Registration district: Cheltenham
    Inferred County: Gloucestershire
    Volume Number: 6a
    Page Number: 679

    as he died 14th Aug 1944 he would not have seen these twins

    TD
     
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  9. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    He was A Ech and killed with the other chap by German Artillery at 1530 hrs:

    [​IMG]
     
  10. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    Brilliant Andy. Do you also have the war diary page of 6 August 1944. The man who asked for information on the radio, his uncle Arnold Johnson, was killed along with 8 other men that day.

    In the last half hour, I received phone calls from two of the Grandchildren that Guy Identified. I posted a letter to them yesterday and they confirmed that George Robert Hunt was indeed their Grandfather and that he is still remembered within their Family. In addition, one of twins Guy identified, namely George Hunt's youngest Daughter Ann is also still living in Cheltenham and happy to communicate with me. Her Sister Angela has sadly passed away.

    The Grandchildren until now never knew how he died and are delighted to be able to find out what happened all those years ago.

    Many thanks to all, for your Fantastic assistance.

    Kind regards

    Rob
     
  11. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

  12. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    Brillant Andy. You're a star.
     
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  13. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    I know :lol:

    kidding
     
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  14. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    You are also modest :lol:

    TD
     
  15. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    I was reliably informed that I had posted the wrong pages - I've added the 6th August into the post above.
     
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  16. SuzyGL

    SuzyGL Member

    Hi, I am his grandaughter
     
  17. SuzyGL

    SuzyGL Member

    Screenshot_20220103-215308_Facebook.jpg

    My grandfather George Robert Hunt x
     
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  18. SuzyGL

    SuzyGL Member

    Hello, i know it was some time ago but do you still have contact details for the gentleman who was asking for information about my grandfather George Robert Hunt 4th Grenadier Guard killed on 14.8.44.
    My mother was his youngest daughter Ann (1 of twins) who were born a month after he was killed.
    I am visiting Bayeux war cemetry next month July 23 to visit my grandfather's grave and pay my respects.
    The man asked for information about my grandfather on the radio i think, his uncle Arnold Johnson, was killed along with 8 other men I think on 6.8.44.
    I wondered if he has not visited his uncles grave whether he may like us to take a photo of his uncles grave and send to him if he wishes or maybe place a poppy there for him??
    Many thanks
     
  19. davidbfpo

    davidbfpo Patron Patron

    SuzyGL,

    Buteman the author of that 2015 is an irregular logged on visitor here, so I have sent him a private message (PM) you cannot do that until you have posted five times. Hopefully he will check in.

    David
     
  20. SuzyGL

    SuzyGL Member

    Thankyou David.
     

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