I was an Officer cadet with Hunter in the RFA (Royal Fleet Auxilary) in 1979. He was a senior cadet just about to take his second Officer exams and I was a junior of just six months service at age 16. We were sailing on a dirty old oil tanker called the Olna, roughing it out in bad weather for weeks in the North Sea. On board we had a Wessex from a squadron at Culdrose and Hunter was fascinated to the point where he made the decision that he no longer wanted to be a Merchant Naval Officer, but wanted to be a pilot!
One Sunday morning we put into Scapa Flow in the Orkneys for a breather from the washing machine of the North Sea in Winter. Hunter was delighted because he lived in Kirkwall and was the first off on a small tender to get milk and papers (and pop home to see his folks).
I spent four months on board with him and his buddy Chris. Always remember him for his ‘just get it done’ attitude and his acute Scottish accent!
I now live in Australia age 61. Was just googling old shipmates yesterday when this thread came up. Hunter would have been 65 now and I am saddened that he has been lost 37 years ago. But so happy for him that he achieved his dream of flying helicopters.