City amateur Fred Hunt enlisted in the 2/4thDevons soon after the outbreak of the war. He wasn’t the only player on City’s books to join this battalion. One of the City professionals, Alf Green, did – and so too did trainer Sid Greenaway and director Norman Kendall. They sailed for India in December 1914. Later in the war, promoted to sergeant, Fred was attached to the 1/123rd Outram Rifles. He was a musketry instructor. His transfer from India to the Middle East came in October 1917. He’d participate in various actions against Turkish forces.

 An Exeter lad, before the war he was employed at Harry Hems’ Ecclesiastical Art Works in Longbrook Street. Hems was an internationally-acclaimed sculptor and wood carver, and when he died in 1916 aged 73, he was described as ‘one of the most prominent figures in local life during more than half a century’. In keeping with his eccentric character, Hems organised an annual ‘Walk to Exmouth’ for his employees: from the doors of the Art Studio to the mouth of the Exe. In April 1913, Fred Hunt’s name is among the list of those who took part. There were handicap times; Fred was the only scratch competitor. The weather was ‘wretched’. Hems was the starter. Perhaps Fred, treating it as a run, was the first to reach Exmouth. But he wasn’t a prize-winner. He and two others, we’re told, ‘did not walk’. Would his unpredictable boss have approved, you wonder?

Fred’s involvement in local football began with appearances for St Leonard’s. He then turned out for St Margaret’s in Topsham and was selected to play for Bath City. He was a ‘very keen and clever’ player.  A full back, he signed on for Exeter City in 1912. If there was ever a chance he might be late for training, he could have run the short distance from the Hems workshop to St James’ Park. In the City Reserves XI he often lined up alongside pro Gus Harding who was previously on Chelsea’s books. The Reserves competed in the Plymouth & District League against teams such as Royal Naval Barracks. When the Possibles beat the Probables 3-0 in a practice game in August 1913, “Rover” of the Express & Echo enthused: ‘… the amateurs have every reason to be pleased about it. Dilley, the Army Service Corps man, scored a goal, and Lewis got two, while Hunt was quite as good at back.’

Fred Hunt died in Palestine from dysentery and pneumonia on 4th November 1918. He’s commemorated on a memorial at St James’ Park, at the Gaza War Cemetery and, as reported in November 2020 by Martin Weiler, (Exeter City Museum Charity) in Exeter’s Higher Cemetery: “We have tracked down another memorial in Higher Cemetery and it is quite a significant one. It is the first known memorial in the cemetery of one of the 13 Exeter City players who died in WW1: Fred Hunt. Fred died and is buried in Gaza, Palestine but his parents put up a memorial to him in Higher Cemetery. They were later buried next to him.”

Forever a Grecian.

For more about Fred Hunt’s playing career see his entry in the A to Z of Exeter City players section of the Archive

Remembering Fred Hunt written by Aidan Hamilton appeared on the club website on the 100th anniversary of the player’s death in November 2018. 

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The Western Times reported Fred’s death in its edition of 13 November 1918: 

" Death of Well-Known Exeter Footballer.

 Exeter and East Devon football followers will regret hear that Mr. and Mrs. Hunt, 5. Lansdowne Terrace, Exeter, have just received news of the death of their only son, Sergt. Fred Hunt, Instructor of Musketry of the Outram Rifles, from dysentry and pneumonia, at an hospital at Gaza. He volunteered for active service just after the outbreak of war, and left England for India shortly afterwards with the 2/4th Devons. Since then he has seen service in Palestine. 

Before the war he was employed at Mr. Harry Hems, and was a very keen and clever Soccer footballer, being of fine physique. He played as a back for St. Leonard's and St. Margaret's Topsham, and was then selected to play for Bath City. For several seasons previous to the outbreak of war he was one of the best, and certainly one of the most popular, of the Exeter City Reserve team. 

Much sympathy will go out to his father and family. His father, just after the outbreak of war joined the St. John Brigade, and has been doing his bit at the different hospitals in the City ever since”.