Soldier Record

My father joined the Royal Warwickshire Regiment on 4th August, 1914, age 23 years. Prior to this he was a silver smith in Birmingham, UK.

My sister and I have no idea where he served in France and Belgium. He was gased badly and lost several fingers and was awarded a war badge according to a document we have dated 2nd May 1918. He had a major operation in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham when a gased lung was removed. On doctors advise he moved to Australia for a while, to a cleaner and drier climate. He eventually returned to the UK and during World War II married.

My sister and I were born in 1943 and 1944 respectely. He suffered years of ill health due to the horrific conditions to which he was exposed and in later years experienced "blackouts" where he would roar like a lion. I remember the doctor saying it was due to the war. He died in 1959 age 69, never having had a fair chance in life. We are now 63 and 65, quite young to have had a father in WW1. My father never ever talked about the war and I am only just realising the enormity of it all. His parents were Mr and Mrs A J Hunt from Edgbaston, Birmingham. Our father's younger brother, Charles Herbert Hunt was killed at Passchendaele on 4th October, 1917.