Claude Nunney - Early Life

Early Life

There has been some debate as to Nunney's origins. Whilst Nunney himself stated he was born in Dublin Ireland, it is claimed he was actually born in Hastings, England as Stephen Sargent Claude Nunney. Also it is claimed that Nunney did not become a Canadian citizen by naturalization process, but by becoming part of a child emigration scheme known as British Home Children.

Dave Lorente (Homechildren Canada) wrote in an article on Claude:

"It is interesting to speculate how Claude Nunney would answer, were he alive today and asked to give his first names, DOB and birthplace, because for some unknown reason or reasons he knowingly or unwittingly gave false information when he joined up in World War I. Perhaps it was because, like so many other Home Children, he had lost his baptismal record and/or birth certificate. ... is birth certificate shows he was actually born in Hastings, England - not in Dublin as his military Attestation papers show. Nor was he Irish...and his name was not Claude Joseph Patrick Nunney as he stated but Stephen Sargent Claude Nunney' - the 'Sargent' being his mother's maiden name. His birthdate was also wrong and he came to Canada as Stephen - not Claude. All that said, none of it detracts in any way from the brave things he did during World War I when he became one of 'Canada's Magnificent Seven' and won the former Empire and Commonwealth's highest award for bravery in the ranks."