Major Herbert Augustine Carter VC (26 May 1874 – 13 January 1916) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to

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and Commonwealth forces. He was the son of the vicar of

St Erth St Erth ( kw, Lannudhno) is a civil parish and village in Cornwall, England. St Erth takes its name from Saint Erc, one of the many Irish saints who brought Christianity to Cornwall during the Dark Ages, and is at the old crossing point of t ...

in Cornwall and served in two campaigns in East Africa.

Details

Carter was 29 years old, and a

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...

in the Poona Mounted Infantry,

Indian Army The Indian Army is the land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who is a four- ...

, during the Third Somaliland Expedition when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. On 19 December 1903 during a reconnaissance at Jidballi, British Somaliland, when two sections were retiring before a force of Dervishes who outnumbered them by thirty to one, Lieutenant Carter rode back alone, a distance of 400 yards, to the assistance of an Indian private who had lost his horse and was closely pursued by a number of the enemy. The man was so badly wounded that it took three attempts to get him on to the horse. In a later incident he saved another soldier by shooting a lion with his last cartridge. In the Great War having been promoted major he arrived at

Mombasa Mombasa ( ; ) is a coastal city in southeastern Kenya along the Indian Ocean. It was the first capital of the British East Africa, before Nairobi was elevated to capital city status. It now serves as the capital of Mombasa County. The town is ...

already ill with fever and then marched inland through barren country in intense heat but died from

heat exhaustion Heat exhaustion is a severe form of heat illness. It is a medical emergency. Heat exhaustion is caused by the loss of water and electrolytes through sweating. The United States Department of Labor makes the following recommendation, "Heat illness ...

in Mwelo Mdogo, British East Africa before his unit (the

40th Pathans The 40th Pathans were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1858 as the Shahjehanpur Levy. It was designated as the 40th Pathans in 1903 and became 5th Battalion (Pathans) 14th Punjab Regiment in 1922. In 1947, it was al ...

) was able to engage the enemy forces.

Memorial

He is buried at St Erth in a plot planted with tropical plants including laurels and castor oil plants. Another memorial to his memory can be found in

York Minster The Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York, commonly known as York Minster, is the cathedral of York, North Yorkshire, England, and is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe. The minster is the seat of the Arch ...

Made of black marble with bronze figures and designed by Sir

Bertram Mackennal Sir Edgar Bertram Mackennal (12 June 186310 October 1931), usually known as Bertram Mackennal, was an Australian sculptor and medallist, most famous for designing the coinage and stamps bearing the likeness of George V. He signed his work "BM". ...

of Melbourne, Australia.

The medal

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the

Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry Museum The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry (DCLI) was a light infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 to 1959. The regiment was created on 1 July 1881 as part of the Childers Reforms, by the merger of the 32nd (Cornwall Light I ...

, Bodmin,

Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...

, England.

References

External links

Location of grave and VC medal
''(Cornwall)'' * {{DEFAULTSORT:Carter, Herbert Augustine 1874 births 1916 deaths British Indian Army officers British recipients of the Victoria Cross Military personnel from Exeter British military personnel of the Third Somaliland Expedition Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry officers British military personnel of the Tirah campaign British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross Deaths from hyperthermia Indian Army personnel killed in World War I Burials in Cornwall British expatriates in British Kenya