William Charles Carter

This story is shared by the Trust with kind permission from Mavis Williams, Researcher.

William Charles Carter was born on the 6th of October 1910 in the Headington registration district and baptised on the 27th of November 1910, at St. Clement’s Church, Oxford. He was the son of William James & Florence Fredrika Jennie Carter (née Palmer), who had married in the September quarter of 1903 in the same registration district. The couple’s first child was Emily Frances Jane Carter, born in the December quarter of 1904.

We see them for the first time on the 1911 census, living at 12, George Street, Cowley, Oxford. William Carter was employed as a Corporation Road Sweeper. They now had two children, Emily aged 6 years and William, aged 6 months. At the outbreak of the First World War, William joined up and he was drafted into the 4th (Reserve) Battalion, Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry in a supernumerary company. The company mainly comprise men who were generally of an age where they were fit for Home Service only and were tasked with guarding key infrastructure like railways and bridges in the UK to free up younger troops for combat.

We see the family on the 1921 census, which was taken on the 19th of June 1921. They are now living at 17, Princes Street, Oxford. Emily was working as a Domestic for Mrs. Francis. William James wasn't there at the time of the census but I think I found him boarding in Loughborough, working as a Carpenter (Trainer) at the Technical College, Ashely Road, Loughborough. However, I am not certain it is him.

In the December quarter of 1929, William's sister, Emily, married Edward Strickland Laurence in the Headington registration district and in the December quarter of 1936, William married Ellen J. Jaycock in the same registration district.

The next time we see the family is on the 1939 National Register, which was taken on the 29th of September 1939. William James and Florence were living at 17 Princes Street, Oxford. William Charles was living at 21 Juxon Street, Oxford, with his wife, Ellen Carter. He was working as a Motor Van Driver and their next door neighbours were Ellen's brother, Edward, and his wife. Emily and Edward were living at 38 Cherwell Street, Oxford with their two children and a third child, Mary Lynch, who was at school. It is not known what their relationship was to Mary. Edward was working as a Milk Roundsman Co-Op Dairy worker.

Sadly, I have no other information on William Charles Carter and I do not know when he was to enlist or be conscripted but he was to find himself fighting on in the Battle of Normandy and laid down his life for our freedom. He was serving as a driver with Royal Army Service Corps in Normandy and had been attached to the Royal Army Medical Corps. He was reported as wounded, but the date wasn't recorded. He was evacuated back to the UK but died of his wounds at the Royal South Hants Hospital, Southampton on the 18th June 1944. His address at the time was recorded as 16, Blackfriars Road, St. Ebbes, Oxford.

Just a few months later, Emily's husband, Edward, was killed in action in the Netherlands, so the family would have been devasted, first by the death of William on the 18th of June 1944 and then the death of their daughter Emily’s husband, Edward, on the 28th of September 1944.

Emily didn't re-marry but in the December quarter of 1968, Ellen Carter married Percy Pill in the Oxford registration district. She died in 1995.

British Normandy Memorial - Additional Information

Unfortunately, we do not have a photo of William Carter. If you are aware of one, or you are related to William, we would love to hear from you so we can add to his story.