Nigel Hunter was born on 5 November 1894, the son of Duncan Hunter of the Punjab Police who, on retirement, lived in Okehampton where Nigel developed a love of Dartmoor. He was educated at Kelly College from 1905 and subsequently at Eastbourne College from which he passed into the RMC Woolwich.

Nigel obtained his commission in the Royal Engineers on 12 August 1914, was posted to France and became involved in the retreat from Mons. He was promoted to Lieutenant in June 1915 and then to Captain on 3 November 1917. He was Mentioned in Despatches in January 1916 and in September 1916 he was awarded the Military Cross on the Somme for constructing advanced strong points under heavy shell fire whilst being wounded. In July 1917 he was awarded a Bar to his Military Cross for conspicuous bravery laying out the front line under heavy fire at Klein Zillebeke on the Ypres battlefield.

Nigel served on the Italian front in November 1917 before returning to Flanders and then to the Somme in early 1918. He was killed in action at Biefvillers on the Somme on 25 March 1918 during the German Spring Offensive, aged 23, and was buried in the CWGC at LignyThilloy. His father erected a memorial plaque, which included a poem written by Nigel, on the Black Rock above the river Lyd behind the Dartmoor Inn, symbolising his leaves from the front spent walking on the moor. In 2008, this plaque was replaced at a special ceremony arranged by Lydford village and attended by representatives from Kelly College.