Sorell’s Gallipoli soldier buried at sea

SORELL’S George Hunt served king and country both in the local militia and in the Australian Imperial Force.

He was born in October 1878 at Wattle Hill in the Sorell district and was the eldest of eight children born to farmers George and Ada Hunt.

The family had lived at Sorell for many generations and George was the great, great grandson of Jacob Bellette, who arrived with the First Fleet in 1788 and was sent to Norfolk Island where he married Anne Harper.

George was educated at the Wattle Hill State School and later worked as a labourer as well as serving with the 93rd (Derwent) Infantry Regiment from 1895-99.

His younger brother Tennyson enlisted on October 24, 1914 and George joined up two days later, Both served with the 15th Battalion.

He named his eldest brother, Algernon, as his nextof-kin, living at Ingle Hall next to the Mercury office in Macquarie St.

George survived the landing at Anzac Cove, but was wounded in action at Monash Gully, Gallipoli, on May 6, 1915.

He was evacuated to the hospital ship Gloucester Castle but died at sea the same day, aged 37. He was buried at sea between Gallipoli and Alexandria and his name appears on the Lone Pine Memorial at Gallipoli.

Private George Albury Hunt is remembered at tree 15 on the Soldiers’ Memorial Avenue, near the Hobart Aquatic Centre, and is named on the Hobart Town Hall honour board.