Ernest William Stuart Carter
Rank: Private
Service Number: 53968
Date of Birth: 1899
Regiment: 15/17th Bn., west Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales Own)
Date of Death: 13 august 1918
Age at death: 19
Cemetery / Memorial: Terlincthun British Cemetery, Wimille
Country: France
Grave / Reference: B
Relatives: Son of JohnWilliam and Elizabeth Carter
Address: 9 Portland Place (Gallows Hill), Hadleigh
Ernest was born in Debenham in 1899 where his father was an insurance agent and a local Methodist preacher. We re not sure exactly when or why, but by the time of the1911census, the family had moved to 9 Portland Place, Gallows Hill, Hadleigh.
1911 Census.
On 8 August 1918 they were around Hazebrouck in northern France well away from the British Fourth Army’s main thrust south in the Somme Sector.
In 1911 Ernest was aged 11 and attending school. After school he worked as an outfitters assistant until he was called up in April 1917. He arrived in France almost a year later on 31 March 1918 joining the 15th/17th West Yorkshire battalion which was a combined battalion formed in December 1917.
The war diary records, “The front line became more active than previously. … During the tour in the line the Battalion [suffered] heavy [loses] by enemy gas shells. 4 Officers and 90 Other Ranks were admitted to Hospital suffering gas poisoning.”
Ernest was one of those who had been gassed. He was evacuated to 55 General Hospital (Eastern General Hospital) close to Boulogne. A telegram was sent to advise that he had been admitted to hospital, but he died of his wounds soon after and a second telegram followed.
He was buried close by at Terlincthun British Cemetery.
