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Click on
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Original comments by Lt John R
Hunter in dark blue.
Additional comments by his son Andy
Hunter.
Further notes by Gordon Smith |
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No.17 - "Captured from Russia
by the Japs this gun was borrowed by the
Admiralty and issued to us. It would not
work".
Believed to be a 3-pounder which
replaced the original 13-pounder in most ML's |
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No.18 - "We sight
something". |
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After the loss
of ML.81 John Hunter took command of ML.211,
probably in early 1917 and remained her
commander until demobilized in January 1919,
when he returned to civilian life
At the time
the photos were taken, Andy's father would
have been 23 or 24 years of age. Naval
tradition is such that he would have been
referred to as "The Old Man"!
In this time
he took many photographs of the boat, both
interior and exterior, as well as photos of
other ML's in his flotilla. As far as Andy
knows, 211 was engaged in patrol work in the
English Channel for the duration.
These
photographs were mounted in an album during
the 1930's with explanatory notes. Andy
Hunter, who helped compile the album with his
father, still has it in his possession
John Hunter
built a "very fine model replica"
of his boat - 211. The model has suffered
some damage over the years but Andy Hunter
and his son have plans to refurbish it in the
near future.
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No.19 - ML211 .... "and goes on
the slip for rub down" |
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No.20 - "Meet(s) some of the
crew".
Andy Hunter - "probably .... of
ML 211" |
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No.21 - "81 on her passage
south" |
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No.22 - "We meet a friend -
531, Dells' ship".
Andy Hunter - "'Dell' was a
friend of my fathers. Dells' son was a classmate
of mine at the Royal Canadian Naval College
1944-46" |
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No.23 - "13 pounder at the
moment of firing with gun recoiled twenty-seven
inches".
The original ex-Army gun mounted on
all ML's until replaced on most by the 3-pounder |
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No.24 - "(Number
removed) goes on the ways to have her prop
straightened" |
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No.25 - ML211 ".... and 81
together alongside 'Onyx'. It wasn't long before
they were hard to tell apart".
HMS Onyx is believed to be the
partly-boarded vessel to left with one funnel and
four ventilators showing, ex-torpedo gunboat,
810t, launched 1892, submarine depot ship, mainly
Devonport 1907-16, Torbay 1917-18, W/T training
ship Devonport January-September 1918, Auxiliary
Patrol depot ship Torbay September 1918-February
1919 |
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No.26 - "Drifting with
hydrophone down. Scotty goes up the mast to
adjust the wireless and takes a snap".
Andy Hunter - "That is my
father at left on the foc'sle of ML211" |
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No.27 - ML285 "What is
the Navy doing?" |
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No.28 - ML369 "Ups" |
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No.29 - "And downs".
Another ML is on her port beam |
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No.30 - ML211; "ARMISTICE.
Refit at private yard Kingswier (Kingswear
opposite Dartmouth). Dell joins us and we
leave for Devonport with volunteer crew to go
minesweeping" |
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No.31 - "January 20th., 1919
Devonport. UNEXPECTEDLY RELIEVED OF COMMAND. A
last look at the bridge" |
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No.32 - "Crew of ML211".
Andy Hunter - "My father is in
the middle of the front row. The man to his right
- second-in-command - is Lieutenant Douglas Scott
RNVR from Victoria, BC. The others are not
identified" |
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John Hunter
joined the RCNVR in 1940 at he age of 48. He
served mostly in shore establishments, had a
brief tour in a Lend Lease Destroyer, and was
posted to an RCN manning depot in Greenock,
Scotland which was named HMCS Niobe (after
the Canadian Navy's first ship). He became
the CO of Niobe in early 1944, was promoted
to the rank of Captain and awarded the OBE
for his contribution there. After WW2, he
returned again to civilian life.
Captain
John Hunter OBE RCNVR died in 1971.
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