Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare German South-West Africa operations D.S.O., East Africa operations M.C. group of eight awarded to Major E. W. “Ted” Hunt, South African Horse, an Australian who had earlier participated in the Defence of Mafeking and commanded “Hunt’s Scouts” in the operations of 1915

Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamels; Military Cross, G.V.R.; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Defence of Mafeking, Transvaal (Capt., A.S.C.); 1914-15 Star (Maj., Hunt’s Scouts); British War and Bilingual Victory Medals, M.I.D. oakleaf (Mjr.); Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937 contact marks, very fine and better (8) £2500-3000

D.S.O. London Gazette 22 August 1918: ‘For distinguished service in the field in connection with the campaign in German South-West Africa 1914-15.’

M.C. London Gazette 13 February 1917: ‘For conspicuous gallantry in action. He led his Squadron with great gallantry against strongly held enemy positions. Later, with 40 men, he cut a way through dense forest and forced the enemy to retire.’

Mention in Despatches London Gazette 8 February 1917 and 22 February 1918 (East Africa and German South-West Africa).

Edwin Watkin “Ted” Hunt was born in January 1869 and was raised and educated in New South Wales, Australia. First going to South Africa ‘for a rest cure necessitated by a severe accident’, he eventually settled there in farming, becoming an Inspector of Government Stock Farms in the Western District. And he was subsequently present at the defence of Mafeking, having sought refuge there on the outbreak of hostilities. For the remainder of the War he served variously as a Captain, attached to the 6th Imperial Bushmen, N.S.W. Contingent, and in the Army Service Corps.

Returning to Australia in 1901, Hunt later went back to South Africa and settled on a ranch in the Zoutpansberg district.

Enlisting in the South African forces in January 1915, he commanded “Hunt’s Scouts” in the German South-West Africa operations of the same year, services that were eventually recognised by a D.S.O. and a ‘mention’. Then re-enlisting in the 9th South African Horse in May 1916, as a Squadron Commander, and later Second-in-Command, he served with distinction in the East Africa operations, winning the M.C. for actions fought in August of the same year, in addition to another ‘mention’ in Smuts’ despatch of 22 November. Hunt, who was discharged in March 1918, received the following message from Lieutenant-Colonel M. M. Hartigan, D.S.O., of “Hartigan’s Horse”, with whom he had shared in the trials and tribulations of active service:

‘You have in a marked degree all the qualifications necessary to command, and that inspiring “Tally-ho!” method of yours in action simply makes ‘em love the job, and once your squadron found that you would take them out of hell as easily as you let them in, I knew that I never need hesitate about the odds where you were concerned. The gift you have of being able to tell at a glance whether you can take mounted troops through thick country which you have never before seen is extraordinary, and I don’t think you would ever be “bushed”. When you were commanding the regiment during that drive down to Mahenga, I made a big call on your staying power and resource, and it was well for us I did.”

Major Hunt became a prominent farmer in South Africa and was President of the South African Agricultural Union, a Member of the Transvaal Provincial Council, and later of the Union Parliament and of the Johannesburg Municipal Council; sold with a photograph of a bronze bust of Hunt commissioned by the Transvaal Provincial Council, in addition to several newspaper / magazine cuttings, one of them depicting a picture of ‘Australians, mostly refugees from the Transvaal, who took part in the defence of Mafeking’, Hunt among them.