L/Cpl 52479 George Henry Carter

• Age: 27
• From: Kettering, Northants
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• D.O.W Saturday 9th November 1918
• Commemorated at: Busigny Cc Ext
  Panel Ref: I.B.32

George Henry Carter was born 10th June 1891 in Kettering and he was baptised on 19th July 1891 at St Andrew's Church, Kettering. He was the son of Charles Henry Carter and his wife Lucy Emma (nee Bellamy) who had matrried in 1887.

The 1901 Census shows the family are living at 64 Melton Street, Kettering.

The father, Charles aged 33, born 1868 in Yardley Hastings is employed as a shoe maker. His wife Lucy, aged 32, born 1869 in Kettering and her occupation is shown as shoe hands. They have three children, Ellen aged 13, born 1888, George aged 9, born 1892 and Charles aged 3, born 1898. The children were all born in Kettering.

By 1911 the family have moved to 92 Regent Street, Kettering.

The father now aged 45 is employed as a boot setter in a shoe factory. His wife Lucy aged 44 has no occupation listed. They have been married for 24 years and have had eight children of which two had died. Five of their children were living at home when the Census was taken, George is now 20 years of age and is a boot machine operator, Eileen is aged 17 and employed in the boot closing room, Charles aged 14 is employed as a boot channeling machine operator, Rose aged 8, born 1903 is at school and Violet aged 1, born in 1910. They also have a visitor living at the address, Alice Enshaw, aged 17, born 1894 and she is employed a cardboard box maker.     

George enlisted in Kettering and originally served as Private 10019 in the Northumberland Regiment but following a transfer he was serving with the 18^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Lance-Corporal No 52479.

He was already serving with the 18th Battalion when hospitalised in England at the County of Middlesex Hospital at Napsbury on 13th October 1916 until 30th November 1916 suffering with Synovitus of the Knee.  

Soldiers Effects and Pension to his father Charles Henry.

George died of wounds on the 09th November 1918 and now rests at Busigny Communal Cemetery Extension, France.

Busigny was captured by the 30th American Division and British cavalry on 9 October 1918, in the Battle of Cambrai, and in the course of the next two months the 48th, 37th and 12th Casualty Clearing Stations came successively to the village. The majority of the burials were made from these three hospitals. The cemetery extension was begun in October 1918, and used until February 1919. After the Armistice it was enlarged when graves were brought into Plots II-VII of graves from a wide area between Cambrai and Guise.  Busigny Communal Cemetery Extension contains 670 First World War burials, 64 of them unidentified. The extension was designed by Charles Holden.

He is also commemorated on the Northamptonshire Roll of Honour (Kettering). 

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