Douglas felt he had been lucky to survive the full duration of the war. His brother Donald had not been so fortunate, having been killed on the 21st September 1916 near Guedecourt whilst serving with the 10th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. This date was of some significance as Douglas Hunter DCM had had joined the British Army on the 21st September 1914, exactly two years earlier.

In 1939 Britain was once again at war with Germany. Douglas Hunter had married and moved to Batley West Yorkshire where he worked for his best friend Hermann Burrows of J R Burrows. Douglas and Hermann had served together throughout the Great War.
Douglas Hunter married Lydia (formally a Cowgill) who came from Gigleswick, North Yorkshire.

By the outbreak of war they had two children. His eldest child, Donald Noel was named after his brother who was killed at the Somme in 1916. He also had a daughter Margaret Elizabeth who is still alive today.

Douglas Hunter DCM enlisted on the 16th June 1940 into The 40th West Riding Battalion. Home Guard. He was promoted to Lieutenant on the 1st February 1941 and discharged on the 31st December 1944 on Disbandment of the Home Guard.

I had always felt proud of my Grandfather, after all I hade been born in his house in Batley (West Yorkshire) and had been given his first name as my middle. I was not to follow in his footsteps in the Army but I did serve in the Royal Navy in the early 1970s.

Douglas Hunter DCM was to die on the 18th June 1978 of natural causes.

I was left his Distinguished Conduct Medal in his will, along with the original Citation. After several years I decided it was time to find out more about my Grandfather thus starting over five years of research into him. I was unable to obtain his War records as they were part of the Burnt records of 1940.

I feel sure there are many unanswered questions, especially the full story of how his DCM was won and under what circumstances. Unfortunately the War Diaries of the 93rd Light Trench Mortar Battery did not extend beyond August 1916 and his own Battalion Diaries 16th West Yorkshire Regiment did not really cover his Attachment in any great detail.

Another line of enquiry would have been through his Commanding Officers War Records (Captain F C Prickett OBE), but he was still serving in the British Army in 1922 and these records were not available.

I feel sure I will find the answers one day but I would be happy to hear from any reader who could enlighten me more.

Philip Douglas Lodge (Grandson)

Primary Sources

Public Record Office, Kew.
Following piece numbers from WO 95
(WO95/4590).
16th West Yorkshire Regiment in Egypt. 22nd December 1915 to 1st March 1916.
(WO95/2362).
16th West Yorkshire Regiment in France. 6th March 1916 to 1st February 1918
(WO95/2362)
93rd Light Trench Mortar Battery in France and Flanders. 20th April 1916 to 30th August 1916
(WO95/2359).
93rd Brigade Diaries in France and Flanders. 1916 to 1918
other Details