No.23205, Private, Ethelbert CARTER
Aged 35
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Born in Badwell Ash 1882 (1st qtr STOW 4a:665) son of George and Louisa CARTER (née ROSE)
1891 census...Aged 9, he was at 18 New Street, Maldon, with his mother Louisa CARTER [38] born Badwell Ash; step sister Henrietta ROSE [10] born Badwell Ash, sisters Florence [6] born Chelmsford and Edith [1] born Maldon, His father, George W.CARTER [33] a tailor, born Badwell Ash, was boarding at 49 Norwich Road, Ipswich His father died in 1893 1901 census...Aged 18, he appears to be a domestic groom at the Old Rectory, Clifton, Bedfordshire. His widowed mother was at 15 Church Row, Bury St.Edmunds, with his sisters Florence and Edith. He married Annie Maria OAKES [17-3-1886] in 1st qtr 1916 (Bury St.Edmunds 4a:1723) who had four children by her first husband. They were:- John Thomas OAKES 2-12-1906, Charles OAKES [17-4-1908], Catherine Annie [26]1910, Robert James OAKES [16-3]1912], and one illegitimate son, Bertie Cyril OAKES [15-9-1914] and with Ethelbert a daughter, Gladys Edit CARTER 11-8-1917] 1911 census...Aged 29, a house painter, he was at 55 Cannon Street with his mother, and nephew ? Herbert George CARTER [under 3 months] born Bury St.Edmunds |
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He enlisted in Bury St.Edmunds.
The first day of the 3rd Battle of Ypres (now known generally as Passchendale). This offensive cost the British 310,000 casualties. Imagine advancing to fight through a field of mud, then add in the fact that in the ten days leading up to the attack, 4.25 million shells were fired by our artillery alone. The 8th Service Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment were involved in the attack on Pilckem Ridge as part of 53rd Brigade. They reached their assembly point at 2 am on 31st July and by zero hour (3:50) had established HQ. at Wellington Crescent. During this move enemy shelling set fire to some dumps and a tank, lighting up the ground. As "C" Coy.was passing through Zillebeke a shell burst amongst them, killing and wounding several. The attacking division, through which the 53rd Brigade were to leapfrog when the 1st objective was take, moved off and the 8th Suffolks and 6th Royal Berkshire waited for front line reports that would tell them the way was clear for their advance. By a tragic mistake the 30th Div infantry wheeled to their left and attacked Chateau Wood instead of Glencorse Wood. This misleading information that Glencorse Wood was in our hands led to the 53rd Brigade plunging into a fatal gap. Some did reach the line of the 1st objective. Lt Bolingbroke with scouts, went forward to clear Sanctuary Wood and place signposts to guide the companies. Sniper fire made this a precarious operation but the message was sent back that 30th Div were on the north of the Menin Road and in Chateau Wood. Despite machine gun fire a platoon of B Coy got up to Lt Bolingbroke's postion and they decided to attack the second line (Surbiton Villa) with what troops they could collect, without waiting for support. In severe fighting around Surbiton Villa a party of "A" Coy managed to wipe out a machine gun post.The battalion got onto the Menin Road near Clapham Junction and advanced several hundred yards beyond it before they were checked and forced to shelter in shell holes. That was the end of the attack as the Germans were in great strength around Glenclorse Wood. Whilst waiting here a cock pheasant alighted about fifty yards ahead. A runner shot the bird, carrying it out of battle on the end of his rifle, probably not the first time he had killed game without a licence! 177 casualties were sustained by the battalion in this action, of these 61 were killed and only 6 have known graves.
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