HUNSTON, John N

John Hunston was born at Chipping Norton and was the son of Robert and Helen Hunston of Stourbridge and later of 32 Hallewell Road, Edgbaston. He was commissioned to the Bedfordshire Regiment and joined the 6th (Service) Battalion in the 37th Division. The battalion went to France in July 1915 and was posted to the quiet Somme area on the Western Front. By the Spring of 1916 the troops were in training for the forthcoming Battle of the Somme and the 37th Division occupied the extreme northern flank of the Gommecourt Salient. For the first day of the attack, however, this sector was quiet, while the great attacks went in further south. The enormous losses of the 34th Division at La Boisselle were filled by sending two brigades from the 37th and the Bedfords were among those who arrived in the front line before Pozičres on the 9th July. Immediate patrols were sent forward although enemy shelling continued. Casualties were taken and these included Lieutenant John Hunston. He was seriously wounded at some point and died of wounds on the 13th July. He was buried in Becourt Military Cemetery (I S 19). He was 20 years of age and is commemorated on the Stourbridge and St. Thomas's church Memorials. His brother, Robert, died on the 27th September 1916. The surname is spelled 'Hunstone' on the Stourbridge Memorial.