“Understanding yesterday, for the benefit of today and tomorrow”
Kibworth
History
Society
Stephen Hunt was born in Liddington in 1881. In the 1891 census he was staying with his grandparents, William and Emily Bird, High Street, Kibworth Beauchamp.
He enlisted in the 3rd Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment, on 18th May 1908, aged 18 years 1 month. The 3rd Battalion was a militia/special reserve and it appears that Stephen joined to see if he would like army life. After serving for 92 days, he enlisted as a regular soldier and was given the number 9958. At the time, his brother, William, and sister, Mary, were living at Dr Barnardo’s, so it seems likely that Stephen joined up as an escape from life in a home.
He was killed in action 25th October 1914 whilst serving with 1st Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment., service number 8401. His plaque and medals went to a Miss E Cheney, who, we assume, was his sweetheart. Whilst it was not unusual for medals to go to an individual’s sweetheart, the plaque should have gone to Stephen’s next of kin, as decreed by King George V.
Private Hunt was awarded the Victory Medal and the British War Medal, and is commemorated on panel 4 of the Ploegs Teert Memorial, Comines-