1885 - 1916
CPL David Wallace Crawford
1887 - 1916
Lce-Corpl John Joseph Nickle
1894 - 1916
Pte 17911 Morton Neill
1897 - 1916
Lieut Edward Stanley Ashcroft
1883 - 1918
Pte 57857 James Carter
- Age: 19
- From: South Hylton, Durham
- Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
- D.O.W Thursday 19th April 1917
- Commemorated at: Etaples Mil Cem
Panel Ref: XIX.D.4A
James Carter was born in South Hylton in late 1897 the son of Robert Carter and his wife Isabella (née Shepherd). His father was born in Norwich and his mother in Hylton, Sunderland. His parents married in Sunderland in 1874 and had 12 children. The couple moved to Lowestoft, Suffolk, where John, Isabella, and Mary were born, then returned to the Sunderland area where Margaret, Martha, Robert, James, Ada, and Sydney were born. Three other children died young.
In 1901 the family is living at 5 Wear Street, Ford (Hylton area), Durham. His father, is aged 48, and is a labourer in a cement works, his mother, is aged 43. John is aged 22, and is a paper maker, Isabella, is aged 20, and Mary,is aged 17, also work in the paper mill. Robert is aged 6, and James, is aged 3. Many of their neighbours are also employed in the paper mill. Ada was born later in 1901, followed by Sydney in 1903.
By 1911 the family have moved to 14 John Street, Hylton. His father,is aged 57, and is still working as a labourer in a cement works, his, mother, is aged 53, Robert, is aged 16, and is an apprentice blacksmith in the shipyard, James, is aged 13, Ada, is aged 9, and Sydney, is aged 7, and are at school. They state five of their 12 children have died.
James enlisted in 1915 when he would have been 17 years old. He must have lied about his age in order to serve overseas.
He enlisted in Sunderland, joining the 3/1 Northumberland Division Cyclist Company as Private 15858. James disembarked in France on 19th October 1915. Perhaps he had just turned 18. He was transferred to the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 57857.
He died of wounds on 19th April 1917 at No.26 General Hospital, Etaples and now rests at Etaples Military Cemetery in France where his headstone bears the epitaph:
“JUST AS I AM WITHOUT ONE PLEA OH LAMB OF GOD I COME”
During the First World War, the area around Etaples was the scene of immense concentrations of Commonwealth reinforcement camps and hospitals. It was remote from attack, except from aircraft, and accessible by railway from both the northern or the southern battlefields. In 1917, 100,000 troops were camped among the sand dunes and the hospitals, which included eleven general, one stationary, four Red Cross hospitals and a convalescent depot, could deal with 22,000 wounded or sick. In September 1919, ten months after the Armistice, three hospitals and the Q.M.A.A.C. convalescent depot remained.
The cemetery contains 10,771 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, the earliest dating from May 1915. 35 of these burials are unidentified. It is the largest CWGC cemetery in France, and was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.
James earned his three medals.He earned his three medals.
His mother received his Army effects, Army Pay £3 15s 11d and a War Gratuity of £9. The pension card in the name of his mother, at 14 John Street, shows that a pension of 15/- a week was awarded.
His father died in 1920, aged 66.
On the 1921 Census at John Street,his widowed mother, Isabella, is aged 63, Robert, is aged 26, and is a blacksmith, Ada, is aged 19, a paper sorter, Sydney, is aged 17, and is an apprentice rivetter. Also visiting is married sister Isabella Martin, aged 40.
His mother died in 1928, aged 71.
The family grave is at Bishopwearmouth Cemetery, Sunderland
It reads:-
In loving memory of
ROBERT CARTER (S. Hylton),
Who Died July 2nd 1920,
Aged 66 Years .
Also ISABELLA, His Wife,
Who Died Dec. 4th 1938,
Aged 71 Years.
Also Pte JAMES CARTER
King’s Liverpool Regiment,
Their Son Who Died Of Wounds
Received In Action At Arras,
April 19th 1917, Aged 19 Years.
"At Rest.”
His name appears in the WW1 Memorial Book originally held at Holy Trinity, Church Street East, now held at The Donnison School Heritage and Education Centre, Church Walk, Sunderland:-
K.L.R., 57857 Pte. James Carter, b: South Hylton, E: DOW: 19-4-1917; (Formerly 15858 Army Cyclists' Corps) interred at Etaples France.
We currently have no further information on James Carter, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.
Killed On This Day.
(106 Years this day)Saturday 14th August 1920.
Pte 16017 Joseph Ellis
25 years old