I won this a couple of days ago on ebay. Another reminder of the sad story of how Australia lost generations of men in WW1 with 60,000 dead out of a small population.

26 yo Frederick Emerton Hunter was allocated number 874 when he enlisted with B company of the 18th Battalion. His brother, 574 Maurice James Emmerton also signed up and was appointed to serve with C Company of the same battalion (18th).

Both brothers boarded the HMAT Cermaic on 25/6/15 , landed at Egypt for training mid June - Mid August. On the 20 August, they landed at Anzac Cove together.

18 Battalion had only been on Anzac for a day when they were sent in to battle to try and take Hill 60. It was an absolute disaster. Over 50% of the 18th Battalion were casualties with high amounts killed and they were effectively destroyed as a fighting unit.

874 FE Hunter was killed in this battle, his brother 574 MJE Hunter also being killed in the same battle. They are remembered on the Lone Pine memorial.


Their younger brother, William Emerton Hunter, signed up a couple of months after his brothers deaths and was taken on strength as a reinforcement of the 13th Battalion before the doubling of Australian battalions had him moved to the 45th battalion. Sadly, he was to last less than a year before being killed in action by a sniper at Pozieres in 1916 while a member of the 45th battalions machine gun company.

3 young men dead from one family. At some time during/after the war and 1922 when medals came out, their father passed away as well (no doubt the stress of losing 3 sons didnt help things) leaving just the mother to try and somehow continue what was left of her life.