No.18000, Private, Bertie Frederick CARLTON
Aged 33
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Bertie Frederick Carlton was born in Stetchworth (Newmarket Q4-1883 3B:525), baptised in Stetchworth on 28th October 1883, son of Frederick and Kate Alice CARLTON (née MALLOWS). Kate had a son, Albert E MALLOWS before her marriage. to Frederick.
1891 census...Aged 7, he was at Brinkley Road, Carlton with his father Frederick [39] a farm labourer, born Hinderclay, Suffolk; his mother Kate A [36] born Sicklesmere, Suffolk; brother Albert E. [10] born Great Whelnetham; brother Ernest W.[5] born Kirtling; sister Ethel K.[4] born Kirtling and brother James C.[1] born West Wratting. 1901 census...Aged 17, a gardener, he was at High Street, Stetchworth with his parents, half-brother Albert E MALLOWS [19](labourer born Gt Welnetham), brother Ernest W (labourer), sister Ethel and brother James and new brother Clarence R. [2] born Stetchworth. Also there was his grandfather Robert CARLTON [79] born Hinderclay. 1911 census...Aged 27, no occupation given, he was at High Street, Stetchworth with his parents, brothers Ernest William, and Clarence Robert, sister Ethel Kate and another sister, Winifred [2] born Stetchworth. Two of the 8 children had died. His nephew Arthur Carlton died in the Far East as a prisoner of war of the Japanese in 1943 see here |
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He enlisted in Newmarket. On July 20th 1916 the 2nd Suffolks assembled and deployed in Pont Street and then took part in the renewed attacks on Longueval and Delville Wood. It was still dark when the artillery barrage lifted and they advanced. The two Suffolk companies were in the forward line, moving in double lines of platoons with a front of 140 yards each. Bitter but indecisive fighting followed, although the 4th Suffolks in High Wood did obtain a foothold. On the 21st they returned to Breslau trench and then out of the battle zone. The Suffolks lost 158 killed on the 20th, 114 of them from the 2nd battalion, of these only 25 have identified graves, the rest are named on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme. |
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