Sir David Hunt: writer and High Commissioner

SIR DAVID Hunt, former British High Commissioner to Cyprus, died on Wednesday, aged 84.

Sir David, who served as High Commissioner in Cyprus from 1965 to 1967, was a don turned diplomat. He was a great lover of the Classics and archaeology.

He had gained a first in Classics at Oxford in 1936 and then became a fellow at Magdalen College until 1947, after which he joined the Diplomatic Service.

His passion for action and responsibility was acquired during the war years, when he was an intelligence officer on the staff of General Alexander. His wartime adventures were expressed in his book, A Don at War (1966).

In 1960, Sir David, as an Assistant Under-Secretary of State in the Commonwealth Relations Office, accompanied Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, on his tour of Africa. It was then that Sir David penned the famous “wind of change” speech for Macmillan which made such an impact.

As well as Cyprus, Sir David served in Uganda and Nigeria, finishing his career as ambassador to Brazil from 1969 to 1973. He wrote a book about his years as a diplomat in 1975, An Ambassador Remembers.

Sir David is survived by his Cypriot-born second wife Iro Myrianthousis, whom he met while he was Commissioner in Nigeria during 1967-69. He and Iro edited two books on Cyprus, Footsteps in Cyprus and Caterina Cornaro: Queen of Cyprus.

Retirement did not stop Sir David form keeping busy. He became a regular book reviewer for the Times Literary Supplement and The Listener. He also joined the board of The Observer at the request of Tiny Rowland.

Perhaps he is best remembered on television by his appearances on BBC’s Mastermind, when in 1982 he became Mastermind of Masterminds in a tenth anniversary contest.

Sir David is also survived by his two sons from his first marriage.