CARTER, Oliver
No. 235037, Private, Oliver CARTER
Aged 38
1st/5th Battalion, The King's (Liverpool) Regiment
Killed in Action on Thursday 19th April, 1917
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Born in Great Wratting in Q2-1878,[Risbridge 4a:508] Son of Reuben and Ellen CARTER (née MAYS) of Paradise, Withersfield Road, Great Wratting. 1881 census...at Paradise Cottage, Withersfield Road, Great Wratting were Oliver [3],his father Reuben [22] Ag.Labourer, born Great Thurlow...his mother [23], born Barnadiston...brother Reuben [5], born Great Thurlow.....brother Arthur [1], born Great Wratting 1891 census...at Landwade Road, Exning were Oliver [13]...his father and mother, brother Reuben, Ag. Labourer....brother Arthur....brother John[11], born Gt. Wratting....sister Elizabeth [9], born Gt.Wratting....brother Mark [5], born Gt.Wratting....brother Walter [7 months], born Lidgate...and 2 lodgers. 1901 census...at 6 Ruston's Cottages, Exning, were Oliver [23] Gen.Labourer....his widowed mother, a laundress....brothers John, Peter [17] a blacksmith, born Gt Wratting, Mark, now a carter, and Arthur..sisters Elizabeth and Edith[8], born Exning. Peter had been born in Gt Wratting Q4-1883 but cannot be found in the 1891 census. His father had died in 1900. Oliver married Beatrice Milly LANGLEY [26-4-1881], from Ashley in Q4-1908. They had three children, Oliver William [7-11-1908], Ernest Reuben [25-6-1911] and Queenie May [30-7-114]. 1911 census...at Vine Terrace, Exning, Oliver was alone that night, his wife, with their son Oliver, was away visiting her parents in Ashley. His brother in law Charles Langley was killed in France in 1917 in the Suffolk Regiment and another brother in law Leonard Langley died as a prisoner of war in Berlin in 1917 Oliver's entry in "Our Exning Heroes" reads as follows: Carter, O. Kings Liverpool Regiment Oliver Carter, of Vine Terrace, was called up in August, 1916, and after a few months' training in England went out to France.He was killed in action in April, 1917, death being instantaneous. He had worked for several years at Mr. Beale's, Newmarket, and was 38 when his death occurred. He married Beatrice Langley, a native of Ashley, and leaves a widow and three children. He used to occupy a great deal of his spare time in carpentering, and made many useful articles. His Lieutenant writes of him: "He was a good soldier, and is greatly missed by officers, non-commissioned officers and men of the Company. His death was instantaneous, and he suffered no pain at all. He is buried in a little village where several other comrades have been laid to rest." |
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His battalion was part of the 165th Brigade of the 55th (West Lancashire) Division. At the time of Oliver's death they were having a quiet time in the Ypres Salient,
apart from being under observation on three sides and under constant bombardment, there were no major operations in progress. There was just the occasional death
from shells or snipers. The Canadian offensive further south at Vimy Ridge started this day. Oliver's death plaque still exists, it was on sale in 2012 for �235. |
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details