Tom Hunter

Thomas Peck Hunter VC (6 October 1923 – 3 April 1945) was a British recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Thomas Hunter was born in Aldershot on 6 October 1923, one of five children of Ramsey and Mary Hunter (a former soldier and civil servant), who moved to Edinburgh shortly after his birth. Hunter attended Stenhouse Primary School and Tynecastle High School (where the poet Wilfred Owen had taught during recuperation in 1917) before becoming an apprentice stationer in Edinburgh. Hunter’s sister lives in Edinburgh and his nephew, John Swinney, is the Scottish finance secretary and Member of the Scottish Parliament.

At the outbreak of the war he served in the Home Guard and was called up on 8 May 1942 for military service. He enlisted as a hostilities–only (HO) marine on 23 June 1942. He was promoted LCpl on 6 October 1943 and Temporary Cpl on 25 January 1945.

Victoria Cross

Hunter was 21 years old, and a temporary corporal in 43 (RM) Commando during the Spring 1945 offensive in Italy during the Second World War when the following incident took place. He was awarded the VC for his actions during Operation Roast.

On 2 April 1945 at Lake Comacchio, Italy, Corporal Hunter, who was in charge of a Bren gun section, offered himself as a target to save his troop. Seizing the Bren gun, he charged alone across 200 yards of open ground under most intense fire towards a group of houses where three MG 42 machine-guns were lodged. So determined was his charge that the enemy soldiers were demoralized and six gunners surrendered. The remainder fled. Hunter cleared the house, changing magazines as he ran and continued to draw enemy fire until most of the troop had reached cover, Hunter was killed, firing accurately to the last. Danish national, Major Anders Lassen of the Special Boat Service (SBS) was also awarded a VC posthumously in the same action.

Cpl Thomas Hunter’s VC citation in the London Gazette of 12 June 1945 reads:

King George VI presented his VC to his parents at a private investiture on 26 September 1945 at Holyrood House. In September 1974 the medal was donated by his sister and nephew to the Royal Marines Museum in Southsea, where all 10 Royal Marines VCs are securely stored, the medal on display there being a copy.

Hunter is buried at the Argenta Gap (CWGC) War Cemetery, Emilia-Romagna in plot III.G.20. The Royal Marines treasure the memory of their only Second World War Victoria Cross recipient and a number of buildings, memorials and organisations are named after him. Scotland also honours one of her heroes. Known memorials and tributes are:

• Memorials and Tributes
  • Ocean Terminal, Edinburgh, Scotland – Memorial to Thomas Hunter (pictured)
  • Royal Marines Museum, Eastney – Personal display in medal room and also named on 43 Commando memorial in the museum’s Memorial Garden.
  • Memorial at Porto Garibaldi, Italy – unveiled April 1992.
  • Memorial Ship’s Bell, CTCRM, Lympstone.
  • Tynecastle High School, Edinburgh – Memorial.
  • Gibraltar Building, HMNB Clyde – Display and tribute adjacent to 43 Commando’s Colours cabinet.
  • House Plaques, Edinburgh – plaques placed on 8 houses in Edinburgh in March 1954.
• Buildings and Organisations
  • Hunter Company (formerly Hunter Troop) at the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines.
  • Hunter Block – Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines accommodation block at HMNB Clyde.