Leonard CARTER

One of the first men of Weeting to answer the call to arms was Leonard Carter. The son of a Brandon flintknapper, he had spent 7 years with the 7th Dragoon Guards, including time in both Egypt and India. In 1913, with his term of service completed, Leonard was transferred to the Reserves and, it seems, moved in with his widowed mother Emily. She kept house for one Henry Wharf, a gamekeeper who lived at Broomhill. After receiving his mobilisation on 5th August, Leonard was posted to the 4th Reserve Regiment of Cavalry in Newport, Monmouthshire. As his original regiment were at that time still in India, he was transferred to the 4th Dragoons in France, arriving on 27th August. The Dragoons had taken part in the first major battle of the war, and were in almost constant action. Their War Diary for 16th October records “Left billet at 2:30am advance Guard to Brigade marched to NEUVE EGLSE from there to POLEG-STEERT. Took over from the Bays. Advanced by bounds on foot towards Le Bizet, Houpline and Frenghien. Street fighting offered by cyclists”. It was presumably during this action that Leonard suffered his fatal injury, so becoming the first of the men from Weeting to make the ultimate sacrifice. News of Leonard’s death was relayed to one of his sisters in a letter from a comrade, Private P. Frost … “It is my painful duty to inform you that your dear brother Leonard was killed in action at Le Gheer ... on or about 11th October … He died a hero’s death. We buried him beside a Railway Station, and erected a little wooden cross on his grave.” The site of his burial was lost during the subsequent fighting in the area and Leonard is now commemorated on the Ploegsteert memorial in Belgium and on the war memorial in St Mary's church.

1914 -15 Star

Victory Medal

British War Medal





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