Page 59 - Sylvia Malt - Side by Side

Pte Percy Albert CARTER Dorsetshire Regt, 2nd Btn
1887 - 26th August 1917

Percy Carter's parents, John and Annie, lived in Cray Road, Foots Cray. For some years
previous to 1914, Percy had worked as a gardener at various locations in the country and
before moving away was employed as a gardener at Wilmington Manor, Dartford. By
1911 he was working as a gardener in Brockhampton, Herefordshire. He met and
subsequently married his wife Sara Townsend, in Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire.

Enlisting in April 1916, he was assigned to the Dorsetshire Regiment, which left for
Mesopotamia (present day Turkey) in March 1917 in order to protect Britain’s oil interests.
They were stationed at barracks in Amara which was occupied by the Mesopotamian
Expeditionary Force from 3rd June 1915 and immediately became a hospital centre. The
accommodation for medical units on both banks of the River Tigris was greatly increased
during 1916. By April 1917, seven general hospitals and some smaller units were stationed
there.

Unfortunately Percy Carter had to be admitted to hospital in August 1917 with poisoned
thumb and before the days of anti-biotics, any infection could lead to blood poisoning. The
Sister in charge kindly took the time and trouble to write to family: "He seemed to be doing
well but succumbed with the heat and fever and sadly died at 11.45am on 26th
August." The Matron enclosed a photograph of his grave for the family. In May 1918, the
War office awarded his widow £2.17.7d. and after the war in November 1919, a further
£4.10s.0d.

In Memoriam: Buried in the Amara War Cemetery, Turkey.

Pte Edward Harry COLLINS Royal West Kent Regt, 6th Battalion
1895 - 9th March 1916
Pte Ralph COLLINS Royal West Kent Regt 7th Battalion
1887 - 13th July 1916

Brothers Edward and Ralph were both born in Maidstone, the sons of Edward and Ellen
Collins. The family had lived in Foots Cray some 10 years and his widowed mother now
lived in Cray Road. Before enlisting in the Army, Ralph was employed with Walter Whomes
of Sidcup.

Edward had been on foreign service with Royal West Kent Regiment since June 1915. On
19th January 1916 the Regiment began training for open warfare at Basne then went into
the Front Line action at Loos on 12th February. Unfortunately, Edward died on 9th March.

Ralph was one of the enthusiastic early volunteers and joined the 7th Battalion, Royal
West Kent Regiment which was raised at Maidstone in September 1914 as part of
Kitchener’s new army. They left for France 1915. Although both brothers were in France at
the same time, they never managed to meet up.

In 1916 Ralph’s Regiment took part in the Battle of Albert/Barentia Ridge, Somme Region,
which was only slightly more successful than the notorious first day of the Somme. Ralph
unfortunately was one of the many thousands of casualties.

In Memoriam: Edward is remembered on the Loos Memorial, Belgium and Ralph is
remembered on the Thiepval Memorial, Belgium

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