Father of the Navy

Manawatu Times, Volume LVI, Issue 7063, 24 January 1933, Page 4

Father of the Navy

UTS AND DOWNS OF A SAILOR

A VETERAN’S AIEAIOBIES

A link with, tho British Navy of tougher days has been broken by Iho death of Captain “Teddy” Hunter, tho "Father” of tho Navy. He was 98. In his book, “Ups and Downs of a Sailor” —ho wa,s 90 when he wrote it— Captain Hunter told how lie joined tho Navy in 184 S. "Just before breaking up school at the end of 1547 I received a letter from my aunt, Lady Cathcart, grandmother of the present Earl, asking me if I would like to go into the Navy. I answered: ‘Of course; just what I want.’

“I thought nothing more of it, but one morning at breakfast a letter was on my plate, ‘On Her Majesty’s Service’—my nomination to the service ordering me to bo examined on board tho guard ship at Woolwich. “My father was very angry, as he wanted me to bo a merchant. He took mo to Woolwich, and my examination was to write out. the Lord’s Prayer, which I did. Then: ‘Can you drink a glass of sherryf I said; ‘You just try me.’

"I was taken to tho surgeon to bo examined. Ho said: ‘Strip.’ I took off my coat. ‘Go on, strip.’ Then ho examined me and was going to strike me a. blow on tho chest. I stepped back and prepared to light, and said, ‘Oh, I’m your man!’ He at once said: ‘Take that boy away. Ho will do.’ ” Captain Hunter was wounded during the Crimean War—but ho was the first man to enter Sebastopol. Ho saved the lives of 4S men wreck-

ed in the Black Sea on November 15, 1854. . Accompanied by six volunteers, be made two trips to the wreck in a small boat.’ All the men were taken off, though the rescue party had to work under heavy lire from Cossacks on the cliffs.

When the Great War broke out Cap l tain Hunter, then 80 years old, volunteered for service in any capacity.