Sadly, there is very little information on Pte Harry Carter. We do know that, as Harry did not win the 1914-15 Star, he must have enlisted after 1915. It appears that Harry joined the 20th Battalion Royal Fusiliers first, from 18th October 1916 to 22nd August 1917. He then saw action again after joining the 4th Battalion in 1918.
Harry was severely wounded on 18th September 1918 at Haverincourt during the Battle of Epehy. His Battalion were heavily attacked by the Germans, with the bombardment of the battery area and both the Front Line and Headquarters coming under heavy barrage. By 17:00 the Germans had penetrated the Battalion Front in three places. The Battalion’s counter-attack was successful in re-establishing the Front Line, but the Battalion sustained 52 casualties and 20 men were killed, Harry being one of them.
Harry’s family was not notified of his death until mid-October. Lt Coulson wrote to the family ‘with apologies for the delay in notifying you, due to all the officers of the company being killed or wounded.’ He was buried at Vis-en-Artois Memorial, with a service by Rev Mellish VC.
