Carter, Bruce Wilmot: Service no. 54304

CVWM Page: Died due to war wounds.

Digitized Service Record

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Bruce Wilmot Carter served in the 18th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Forces.  He was the son of  Albert Carter of Thamesford.  Bruce married Florence W. Gibbons (1892-1967).

Source

This soldier also participated in this occurrence at the River Canche, France.

Summary of Service for Private Bruce Wilmot Carter, reg. no. 54304

Date	Event	Remarks
September 19, 1895	Born	Born at Thamesford, Oxford County, Ontario, Canada.
March 24, 1915	Enlists	Enlists with the 18th Battalion at London, Ontario. He is 19-year-old railway fireman working for the Grand Trunk Railway. He is 5’8” tall and has designated his father, Albert, of Thamesford, as his next-of-kin. His parents have signed a note giving their permission for him to engage in overseas service. He has no prior military experience.
April 1, 1915	Assigns Pay	Assigns $15.00 per month to this mother, Mrs. A. Carter, Thamesford, Ontario.
April 10, 1915	Stuck From	Struck from Base Company to “A” Company.
April 18, 1915	Embarks	Embarks for England aboard the SS Grampian.
April 29, 1915	Disembarks	Disembarks Avonmouth, England. Entrains for West Sandling Camp in Kent.
September 14, 1915	Embarks	Embarks for active service with the 18th Battalion at Folkestone.
September 15, 1915	Disembarks	Disembarks Boulogne, France for service in the Ypres Sector.
October 3, 1916	Wounded	The War Diary relates that day:   “Battalion moved into reserve at SAUSAGE VALLEY. LIEUT. L.A. BISSELL taken on as reinforcement from 28.9.16. LIEUT. A.E. COCK and 3 wounded, 9 o.r.s. admitted to hospital. 66 o.r.s. arrived as reinforcements.”
October 4, 1916	Admitted	Admitted at No. 11 Stationary Hospital Rouen, France.
October 13, 1915	Transferred	Transferred to CCAC, Shoreham-on-Sea via the HS Maheno. There is a note his wound is “severe”.
October 14, 1916	Admitted	Admitted Military Hospital, York, England.
November 14, 1916	Transferred	Transferred to King’s Canadian Red Cross Hospital at Bushy Park.
March 4, 1917	TOS	TOS with No. 2 CCD.
March 5, 1917	Discharged	Discharged from above and TOS CCAC at Hastings.
March 10, 1917	Transferred	Transferred to WORD.
March 13, 1917	TOS	TOS 4th Reserve Battalion.
May 26, 1917	TOS	TOS 18th Battalion.
May 28, 1917	Arrives	Arrives No. 2 CIBD, Etaples, France.
June 6, 1917	Forfeits Pay and Rejoins Unit	Forfeits 2-day’s pay for 1.) Breaking away from training camp; 2.) Bathing in River Canche. He is part of at least 3 other men of the 18th Battalion who where charged with the same offense.   Rejoins 18th Battalion, in the field.
August 15, 1917	Wounded	GSW left leg.
August 16, 1917	Admitted	Admitted to No. 5 CFA.
August 19, 1917	Admitted	Admitted to No. 10 CFA.
August 25, 1917	Discharged to Duty	Discharged to duty with unit.
July 10, 1918	Sentenced	Sentenced to 7-day’s FP No. 1 for being absent without leave for 14.5 hours. He also forfeits 2-day’s pay.
February 9, 1918	Granted Leave	Granted 14-day’s leave to UK.
August 8, 1918	Wounded	Wounded during action GSW left wrist. The 18th Battalion action per this entry in the War Diary: “In contrast to the clear evening previous, the morning of the 8th found a heavy fog in evidence, obstructing all view of the German line and proposed objective. Zero hour had been set to 4.20 a.m. An hour previous all Coys. had taken up their assault positions. Half an hour before the commencement of our bombardment, German artillery of heavy calibre laid down a light barrage on our position, particularly heavy fire being directed on the wood to the South-West of VILLERS-BRETTENEAUX. First impression was that our attack had been anticipated, but his shelling ceased just prior to the opening up of our guns. No preliminary bombardment was indulged in. At 4.30 sharp [our] barrage fell on the German Front line and the Battalion jumped off immediately. The disposition of the Companies was as follows:- “C” Coy. in 2 platoon frontage was responsible for the Right Flank and contact waves with the 1st Canadian Division; “B” Company in center on a 2 platoon frontage; “A” Company with similar frontage on the left connecting up with the 19th Cdn. Battalion; “D” Company in Support. The objective lay some 200 yards to the East of MARCELCAVE and the quarry adjoining it.   Operating under a magnificent barrage, and closely co-operating with the tanks, whose support to the infantry was one of the finest features of the day, the Battalion had [reached] the extreme limit of its objective at 7.45 a.m. Casualties where light, partly due to the fog barrier and the admirable manner in which are advance was conducted. Lieut. Ferguson was wounded in the jumping off. Captain Michell was wounded in the first half mile of the advance along with Captain Wigle; Lieut’s Faulkner and Sheridan a short time later. Amongst the material captured at MARCELCAVE were five 5.9 Hows., and three 2.2 mm Guns, in addition to a great deal of signal equipment and valued Surgical and Medical Stores. The Battalion pushed on past the quarries and established a line of defence about 300 yards beyond. Throughout the [affair], considerable opposition was encountered, chief of which lay in the form of well secreted machine-gun nests. The work of Captain T.H.C. Rayward in disposing of some of this [formidable] opposition was very exemplary to all ranks. Casualties to the extent of approximately 30 killed and 120 wounded were sustained in the advance. 56 O.R’s arrived as reinforcements. 2 O.R’s proceeded on leave.”
August 9, 1918	Admitted	Admitted to No. 9 General Hospital.
August 12, 1918	Transferred	Transferred to Trouville to No. 74 General Hospital.
August 15, 1918	Transferred	Transferred to No. 13 Convalescent Depot.
August 28, 1918	Discharged	Discharged to CIBD.
August 31, 1918	Admitted	Admitted to CIBD.
September 2, 1918	Sentenced	Sentenced to 7-day’s FP No. 1 for being AWL for 11-hours. Forfeits 1-day’s pay.
September 4, 1918	Despatched	Despatched to CCRC.
September 10, 1918	Rejoins Unit	Rejoins 18th Battalion, in the field.
January 17, 1919	Granted Leave	Granted 14-day’s leave to the UK.
February 20, 1919	Rejoins Unit	Arrives from leave.
April 4, 1919	Proceeds to England	Proceeds to England with 18th Battalion.
April 5, 1919	TOS	TOS with PWCCC at Witley, England.
April 7, 1919	Dental Exam	No apparent dental issues.
April 7, 1919	Medical Exam	Medical exam on preparation of discharge. Notations of his wounds in 1916, 1917, and 1918.
May 13, 1919	SOS	SOS “P” Wing for transport to Canada.
May 14, 1919	Sails	Sails from Liverpool to Canada aboard the SS Caronia.
May 24, 1919	Discharged	Discharged due to demobilization from service. He has served as an original member of the 18th Battalion and returns with the Battalion to Canada. He is discharged with other members of the Battalion at London, Ontario.
June 15, 1921	Married	Marries Florence Woolridge Gibbons at London, Ontario.
February 16, 1922	Dies	Dies of causes relating to his military service at 9:00 AM. He is buried at Wesley Methodist Cemetery, Thamesford, Ontario. His wife in interred with him. She passed in 1967.
May 31, 1922	Change of Address	Change of address to Mrs. F.W. Carter (wife), Thamesford, Ontario.
June 1922	Medals, Scroll, and Plaque	Despatched to his widow and the Silver Memorial Cross to his mother.

Acronyms

AWL	Absent Without Leave: Generally, a soldier would be deducted 1-days pay for every day absent. In some cases, the soldier would be confined to barracks. Sometimes it was a combination of both.
A Classification	Medical Board Classification that determined your fitness for duty. A1, A2, A3 and A4 were assigned to different units with the expectation that these men would be able to serve with active combat units. See this link for more information.
B Classification	Medical Board Classification that determined your fitness for duty. B1, B2, and B3 were assigned to different service units such as railway and forestry corps. See this link for more information.
D Classification	See this link for more information.
CAMC	Canadian Army Medical Corp
CB	Confined to Barracks: a punishment for minor infractions.
CCD	Casualty Convalescent Depot: a depot at a base where men, in their final stages of convalescing, would be prepared for duty depending on their rating.
CCH	Casualty Clearing Hospital
CCRC	Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp
CCS	Casualty Clearing Station: this facility was attached to rail transportation from the front to hospitals on the coast of France
CDC	Canadian Dispatch Camp
CFA	Canadian Field Ambulance/Canadian Field Artillery. Most common usage would be Canadian Field Ambulance.
DAH	Disorderly Action of the Heart
DRS	Divisional Rest Station
GSW	Gun Shot Wound – this was a generic term for all projectile penetrating wounds.
In the Field	This term relates to a soldier arriving at an active-duty unit after transporting from England, to France, and then to his duty assignment. The routing varied from soldier to soldier and could take 2-3 days to several months.
MD	Military District
PUO	Pyrexia of Unknown Origin: This was a term used for any illness that could not clearly be identified and typically was related to influenza symptoms.
SOS	Struck Off Strength
TOS	Taken On Strength
CAMC	Canadian Army Medical Corp
CCH	Casualty Clearing Hospital
CFA	Canadian Field Ambulance
DRS	Divisional Rest Station
GSW	Gun Shot Wound – this was a generic term for all projectile penetrating wounds.
MD	Military District
PUO	Pyrexia of Unknown Origin
SOS	Struck Off Strength
TOS	Taken On Strength
WORD	Western Ontario Regimental Depot