Pte 31607 William George Carter

• Age: 21
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

William George Carter was born in Dingle, Liverpool on 03rd March 1895, the son of Isaac Carter and his wife Mary Alice (nee Rogers). He was baptised on 28th August 1895 at St Paul's Church, Princes Park, Liverpool. At the time of his baptism his parents lived at 47 Fairview Place, and his father was employed as a platelayer. His parents married in 1888; William was the fourth of their eight children. He had older siblings Mary Alice, Isaac, and Thomas Henry, and younger brothers Frank, Herbert Frederick, Alfred, and Albert Edward.

The family moved a lot, based on information from the children's baptisms, addresses included Graham Street, Smith Street, Hawkestone Street, Fairview Place, and Byles Street.

The 1901 Census finds the family living at 17 Fair View Place, Toxteth Park, Liverpool. William is 6 years of age and is living with his parents and 6 siblings. His father, Isaac, is shown as a Dock labourer born in Liverpool in 1858, whilst his mother was born in Liverpool in 1860. His siblings, all born in Liverpool, are listed as; Mary Alice born 1889, Isaac b.1891, Thomas b.1892, Frank b.1896, Frederick b.1899 and Alfred b.1900. There is also a boarder living at the property. 

By the time of the 1911 Census the family have moved to 29 Twiss Street, Toxteth Park, Liverpool. William George is 16, single and a grocers assistant. He is living with his parents, his father, 53, is still employed as a dock labourer, his mother is 51. His 6 siblings are listed as: Isaac now aged 20 and a domestic gardener, Thomas an 18 year old fishmongers assistant,  Frank a 14 year old grocer's errand boy, Herbert Frederick a 12 year old at school and working as a newsboy, Alfred aged 10 and at school and Albert Edward born in 1904 also a schoolboy. His sister Mary Alice is employed as a domestic cook in Normanton Avenue, Toxteth Park.

He enlisted in Liverpool in August 1915 originally joining the 22nd Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 31607, alongside his brother Frank 31606. They must have enlisted together given that their service numbers were consecutive. Both were subsequently transferred to the 19th Battalion K.L.R.

William likely shipped to France in the spring of 1916.

William George was originally declared as Missing but later reported as killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 21, at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive. Tragically, he was killed in the same action as his brother Frank.

The Battalion diary details the days events: 

19^th Battalion Diary 30^th July 1916

MALTZ HORN FARM

BATTLE begun. ZERO hour 4:45 am. The Battalion reached its objective, but suffered heavy losses, and had to evacuate its position owing to no reinforcements.

Everard Wyrall gives details of the attack in his book The History of The King’s Regiment; 

"The 2nd Attack on Guillemont- 29th July 1916 the 89th Brigade the 20th King's were to attack on the right and the 19th on the left. During the evening of the 29th the night was dark and foggy when the Battalions moved off and the 19th with Lt Col G Rollo commanding, when passing the South east of the Briqueterie they were heavily shelled first with H E and then with a new kind of asphyxiating Gas shell which had curious results, at first it had no nasty effect but about 8 hrs later men began to fall sick with violent headaches and pains in the stomach. All ranks had to wear gas masks which in the darkness and mist made the going terribly difficult. It was indeed wonderful that they were able to reach their Assembly point at all. But they did and by 2.45 a.m. on the 30th July 1916 the Btn was assembled having suffered about 30 Casualties on the way up ready for the Zero hour at 4.45 a.m.

It is known that the two left Companies of the 19th under Capt. Dodd and Capt. Nicholson advanced in touch with the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers on their left although they suffered many casualties from Machine gun Fire did not encounter many Germans and reached their final objective about the time allocated, beginning at once to dig in south of the orchard on the South east corner of Guillemont.  

On the left of the 19th the Scots Fusiliers most gallantly forced their way through Guillemont to the eastern side of the village but were soon overwhelmed by the enemy and few returned. 

At 8 a.m. finding that the village was not held the two left Companies of the 19th received no word from the rear or either flank believed themselves to be totally isolated so were forced to fall back and dig in, their position being untenable.

At midday the effective fighting strength of the 19th Btn was just 7 Officers and 43 other ranks" 

When darkness fell on the battlefield the 30^th Division held a line from the railway on the eastern side of Trones Wood , southwards and including Arrow Head Copse, to east of Maltz Horn Farm. On this line the division was relieved by the 55^th Division during the early hours of the 31^st July.Casualties in the 19^th Battalion were 11 Officers and 435 Other Ranks 

The events of 30^th July 1916 were regarded at the time as Liverpool’s blackest day. There follows an extract from The History of the 89^th Brigade written by Brigadier General Ferdinand Stanley which gives an indication of the events of the day.

Guillemont

Well the hour to advance came, and of all bad luck in the world it was a thick fog; so thick that you couldn’t see more than about ten yards. It was next to impossible to delay the attack – it was much too big an operation- so forward they had to go. It will give some idea when I say that on one flank we had to go 1,750 yards over big rolling country. Everyone knows what it is like to cross enclosed country which you know really well in a fog and how easy it is to lose your way. Therefore, imagine these rolling hills, with no landmarks and absolutely unknown to anyone. Is it surprising that people lost their way and lost touch with those next to them? As a matter of fact, it was wonderful the way in which many men found their way right to the place we wanted to get to. But as a connected attack it was impossible.

The fog was intense it was practically impossible to keep direction and parties got split up. Owing to the heavy shelling all the Bosches had left their main trenches and were lying out in the open with snipers and machine guns in shell holes, so of course our fellows were the most easy prey.

It is so awfully sad now going about and finding so many splendid fellows gone.   

William's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916. 

On 01^st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”
 
His brother Frank who was also killed in action on 30th July 1916, also has no known grave and is commemorated alongside his elder brother William on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme. 

Reports of William being posted as Missing and the death of his brother Frank in the same action at Guillemont were covered in the local press under the heading:

THREE BROTHERS

Private F. Carter (20), K.L.R., whose mother resides at 25 Beresford Street, Dingle, Liverpool, has been killed in action. He enlisted in August 1915. A brother Private W. Carter (21) also of the K.L.R., is posted as missing on the same day as the first named was killed. A third brother is serving in the same regiment in France.

The third brother is Herbert Frederick 406098, later Pte. 041320 Army Ordnance Corps. He survived the war.

Soldiers effects  Soldiers Effects and Pension to his mother Mary Alice including a War Gratuity of £3.

His parents were awarded a combined pension for both sons of 14 shillings a week from April 1919, backdated to April 1918.

Eldest brother Isaac attested in December 1915, and was placed on Army Reserve until he was mobilised in July 1917 as a Driver with the Royal Field Artillery, and then posted to the Royal Garrison Artillery as a Gunner.  There is no evidence that he served overseas. He was discharged in February 1919 as no longer physically fit, due to ear infections aggravated by war service, and was awarded a 20% disability pension .

His father died in 1920 aged 62, and his mother in 1935 at the age of 76, still living at 23 Beresford Street.

William is commemorated in Liverpool's Hall of Remembrance, Panel 9 Right. His brother Frank is commemorated on Panel 10 and 11 Right 

We currently have no further information on William George Carter, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.