Father and son called Hunter serving together on same hunter-killer submarine

A father and son with the surname Hunter have deployed together on the same hunter-killer Astute-class submarine.

Seventeen-year-old Engineering Technician George followed in the footsteps of his father, veteran submariner Warrant Officer 2 Graham Hunter.

Graham Hunter joined the Royal Navy in 1997 at the age of 16. Having heard stories of his father's service on submarines and endeared by the lifestyle choice, it then became George's goal to join the Silent Service.

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Their time spent together on the Astute Class vessel, which cannot be named for security reasons, was George's first sea draft and is likely to be Graham's last, the Royal Navy said.

Both share the nickname Tab Hunter after the 1950s Hollywood heartthrob, but Graham is 'Big Tab' while George is 'Little Tab'.

The pair spoke of their pride in their joint deployment, despite their ending up together being a mere happy coincidence.

WO2 Hunter said: "It seems strange to see our George on board. It doesn't seem that long ago that he was just a young child running around at home.

"In fact, I have steaming bats [shoes] and T-shirts older than him."

The father and son are from Hartlepool, but have lived in Plymouth, Portsmouth and Faslane.

George completed basic training at HMS Raleigh in February 2022 and it was a proud moment for his family and friends.

ET Hunter said: "It's nice to be on board with my dad. I finally understand all the stories he has been spinning all these years.

"After doing the rounds and morning colours at home for years I thought I may as well join up and get paid for it."