Tipton

Sapper 132856 Michael Carter

 
Further photograph at bottom of page.

Killed in Action on Tuesday, 13th June 1916, age 34.
Entombed "Beneath this spot..." at R.E. Grave, Railway Wood, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

Royal Engineers, 177th Tunnelling Company.

Son of James and Mary Carter, of 7 House, 15 Court, Dudley Port, Tipton, Staffs
Born: Wolverhampton, Enlisted: Dudley, Resident: Tipton.

First landed France & Flanders, 31st October 1915.
Medal entitlement: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.

Commemorated on the Tipton Library Memorial.
Commemorated here because he appears on a Tipton memorial.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2002007/

Genealogical Data

1901 Census
19 Upper Chapel Street, Rowley Regis
James Carter (42, Brickmaker's Labourer, born Wolverhampton), his wife Mary (43, born Ireland), and their 6 children: Michael (19, Brickyard Labourer, born Wolverhampton), Mary (13, born Rowley Regis), Bridget (11, born Rowley Regis), Sarah (5, born Rowley Regis), Lizzie (4, born Rowley Regis), and Ellen (3 months, born Rowley Regis).

1911 Census
20 Court 1 House, Dudley Port, Tipton, Staffs.
James Carter (51, Labourer, born Wolverhampton), his wife Mary (51, born Ireland), and 4 of their 6 surviving children of 9: Michael (30, Brickyard Labourer, born Wolverhampton), Sarah (15, born Dudley Port), Elizabeth (14, born Tividale), and Ellen (10, born Tividale).

Personal Data

None Available.

Action resulting in his death

Michael Carter joined the 177th Tunnelling Company of the Royal Engineers who were in the Railway Wood area, near Ypres, during 1916. Michael was killed underground, after a German explosion, and his body never recovered. He is commemorated on the R.E. Grave memorial at Railway Wood, this commemorates an officer, 3 NCOs and 8 men of the 177th Tunnelling Company who were killed and their bodies lost underground in the vicinity of this memorial.

From 177th Tunnelling Company War Diary for June 1916.
"Enemy blew a mine on 12.6.16 at about 2 a.m. All 6wk and part 6we (tunnel references) wrecked. Three men buried; one rescued immediately, another 22 hours later after 20 feet untimbered gallery had been driven. No damage or casualties above ground."
Of the three men buried, therefore one remained buried underground, this was Michael Carter.

Newspaper Cuttings

Tipton Herald October 30th 1915
Michael Carter (30) of Dudley Port was summoned for using threats to Alice Barford; it was stated that he had enlisted. Case adjourned.

Tipton Herald July 8th 1916
Sapper M. Carter of the Royal Engineers is reported killed.

Tipton Herald July 15th 1916
A TIPTON SAPPER'S DEATH IN THE WAR.
BURIED AFTER A MINE EXPLOSION.
Much sympathy is felt for the relatives and friends of Sapper Carter, of Dudley Port. How he was killed is best told by the letter from Captain Sawers, of the Royal Engineers. He writes as follows:- "I am afraid that I have some bad news. Your son was caught underground when the Germans blew a mine and was killed. His body is still in one of our crushed galleries and it is impossible to recover it. There is no doubt that his death was instantaneous. All his personal effects were on him at the time. He was a very efficient soldier and was spoken of highly by all those with whom he came into contact. Please accept my sincere sympathy."

R.E. Grave, Railway Wood, near Ypres.