Jonathan Griffin

When Walter Hunkin came ashore in 1907. He was 45 and had been at sea since he was 16. His new post was to look after […]

In 1902 Walter returned to the Kingstown District on the east coast of Ireland, leaving sailing cruisers and taking up his last command at sea aboard […]

After a winter of relative idleness, Walter returned to the Victoria, a first class sailing cutter of 131 tons, and to the North sea Hull station. […]

In 1900 Walter returned to the Fly, a third class sailing cruiser of 60 tons, which he had first met nearly 20 years earlier, moving from […]

In 1897, Walter was given his first command: the Flora, a third class cutter of 60 tons, patrolling the familiar Irish east coast waters of the […]

Walter was promoted to Senior Mate in 1895 and joined the Seamew, a 376 ton steam tender based in the Harwich District which covered the stretch […]

In 1893 Walter joined the sailing cruiser Rose, a yawl of 130 tons, as Second Mate. This took him to the Hull district which stretched from […]

Walter, now a Chief Petty Officer, then moved to the east coast of Ireland and the Kingstown district where he joined the Hind, a yawl of […]

Walter was now a Chief Petty Officer and joined the Mary,  a 30 ton cutter, based at Portland. The Weymouth district covered the south coast from […]

Walter was promoted Acting Chief Quartermaster when he joined the Squirrel, a third class sailing cutter of only 40 tons, smaller than both the Fly and Victoria. […]

Walter joined the Victoria with the rank of Leading Seaman, soon being promoted to Quartermaster and then Acting Petty Chief Officer. The Victoria was a first […]

The Years at Sea cover Walter Hunkin’s early life through to the end of his coastguard career afloat in 1907. During this time he served in […]