Nelson Victor Carter

Nelson Victor Carter
Born	9 April 1887 Eastbourne, Sussex
Died	30 June 1916 (aged 29) Richebourg l'Avoue, France
Buried at	Royal Irish Rifles Churchyard, Laventie, France
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1914-1916 †
Rank	Company Sergeant Major
Unit	Royal Sussex Regiment
Battles/wars	World War I
Awards	Victoria Cross

Nelson Victor Carter VC (9 April 1887 – 30 June 1916) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Carter was born on 9 April 1887 to Richard Carter, of Hailsham; husband of Kathleen Carter, of 33 Greys Road, Old Town, Eastbourne.^[1] He was 29 years old, and a company sergeant major in the 12th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment, British Army when he died during the First World War.^[1] He was awarded the VC for his actions on 30 June 1916 at Boar's Head, Richebourg l'Avoue, France:

For most conspicuous bravery. During an attack he was in command of the fourth wave of the assault. Under intense shell and machine gun fire he penetrated, with a few men, into the enemy's second line and inflicted heavy casualties with bombs. When forced to retire to the enemy's first line, he captured a machine gun and shot the gunner with his revolver. Finally, after carrying several wounded men into safety, he was himself mortally wounded and died in a few minutes. His conduct throughout the day was magnificent.^[2]

He was buried in the Royal Irish Rifles Churchyard, Laventie, France in Plot VI. Row C. Grave 17. His Victoria Cross is at the Eastbourne Redoubt Museum, Royal Parade, Eastbourne, East Sussex. A blue plaque can be seen on the wall of his home at 33 Greys Road in Eastbourne.^[3]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Carter, Nelson Victor, Commonwealth War Graves Commission
2. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 29740. p. 8870. 9 September 1916. Retrieved 8 November 2009.
3. ^ Blue plaque for VC hero, Eastbourne Herald, 2007, http://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/features/Blue-plaque-for-VC-hero.3081059.jp, retrieved 2008-04-27 

• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
• Find-A-Grave profile for Nelson Victor Carter
• Burial location of Nelson Carter
• News Item "Nelson Carter's Victoria Cross donated to the Royal Sussex Regiment Museum"

External links

• Redoubt Fortress Museum
• Eastbourne Redoubt
• The Royal Sussex Living History Group Website - Source of much information on The Royal Sussex Regiment including The Battle of the Boar's Head

Persondata
Name	Carter, Nelson Victor
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	9 April 1887
Place of birth	Eastbourne, Sussex
Date of death	30 June 1916
Place of death	Richebourg l'Avoue, France