Caroline Hunter

 

In this short blog, I will be looking at a special mother.  But we will start it at the sinking of the French liner Champlain.

The Champlain was a 28,124-ton French ocean liner, having been built during 1932 and with her maiden voyage being completed that June.  At this time, the Champlain was the largest, fastest and luxurious cabin class liner afloat.  By the outbreak of the Second World War, the Champlain was pressed in evacuee work, transporting refugees including Jews from Europe to safety of North America.  Retuning on her last trip, from St Lawrence, Canada to Casablanca on the 17th June 1940, the Champlain with 381 passengers and crew had struck a German air laid mine whilst swinging at anchor in the waters off La Pallice, France. She heeled over on her side.  A few days later the German U-Boat U-65, fired a torpedo into her hulk.

At the time of the, it was reported that there were at least 300 fatalities, but this figure was only 11 or 12. The Champlain was one of the earlies passengers’ ships to have lost during the Second World War.  Two of the crew members that did jump ship, were 17-year-old trainee purser Andre Hue, and his half-brother, Jean. Hue had jumped into the sea stark naked.  They were taken to Casablanca.  Despite the restriction of the France-German armistice, Hue, eventually reached it back to small Brittany town of Guer, where his widowed Welsh mother was living.  It was here that Hue, was employed by Guer railway station.  We will come to know about Andre Hue in a future blog.

This blog will be looking at his mother, Caroline Hue nee Hunter.

Caroline had been born 1886 and was the daughter of William Hunter and Jane Owen.

At the time of the 1911 Census, Caroline, aged 25, was still living at her home, 18 Calvert Street, Swansea.  Her father’s occupation is listed as Boot Maker.  William died 1925, buried at Bethel.

Three years earlier, 1921, Caroline had married Andre Hue, who was a widower.  Hue, was an engineer officer on board a merchant ship, which roues was between Le Havre and South Wales.  The courtship between Andre and Caroline, was conducted on irregular visits made by Hue.  Neither of the could speak each other’s native tongue. 

Hue's, life at the time of the marriage had been eventful itself, he had served with the French Infantry during the First World War, being wounded to the head.  The bullet remained there until he died, 1937.  During the Inter War Years he came first racing a Daimler between Paris and Berlin.  At the time of his marriage to Carline, he had a three-year-old son, Jean.

Following the marriage, Andre Hue was born 1923.  Following his birth, the family moved back to Le Havre, France. 

During the Second World War, Caroline was captured by the Gestapo and interred in a concentration camp, was treated and badly beaten.  Following the war, she returned to Wales, and it was here that she died 1962.  She also is buried at Bethel.

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