MAJOR-GENERAL B C M CARTER, C.B. C.M.G.

The death of Major-General Carter is deeply regretted by his friends, both in the Regiment and in the Service generally. Diabetes and ill-health contracted in the Great War, followed by a very serious operation, terminated fatally after a week of intense suffering, at Newbury, on July 23^rd 1923

Beresford Cecil Molyneux Carter was educated at Marlborough and Sandhurst, and joined the 1^st Battalion at Belfast in April 1891.  In September, 1893, he was promoted Lieutenant, and in the following year was transferred to the 2ndBattallion at Poona.  In July 1898, he was promoted Captain; and in this year he was with the Battalion in the Nile Expedition and took part in the battle of Omdurman, receiving the Queen’s Medal, the Egyptian Medal and Clasp.  He was transferred to the3rd Battalion, then at Malta.  In February, 1900, he was attached to the Egyptian Army, and was posted to the 14^th Sudanese Battalion, which was then station ed at Omdurman.  After a few months had elapsed, Captain Carter was transferred to the Camel Corps. His capabilities were soon recognised and he was selected to succeed Inspector Townsend in the civil branch of the Government in Kordofan.  While there he fought the Ali Dinan’s tribe on the border where he went to collect tribute due from the tribesmen of South Kordofan.  Being essentially a soldier, he rejoined the army and took the command of the 9^th Sudanese, the Battalion that had been so long commanded by that distinguished soldier, Major W F Walter.  With the 9^th Major Carter went to Bahr-el-Ghazel, and while here he was promoted Major in the Regiment (24thAugust, 1904).  The chief of the Niam-Niam tribe had for some time defied the Government, and in 1905,Major Carter  given the command of a force of all arms to being this tribal chief to a sense of obedience.

In an excellent article which was published in the ANNUAL for 1905, Major Carter described this little expedition in his clear, unconventional, half-humorous style.  To those who knew him his personality will appear in every page. For his services he was mentioned in despatches and received the Order of the Osmaniah, 4thClass.  For some months he acted as Governor of the Bahr-el-~Ghazel province.  His service with the Egyptian Army fittingly closed with the Niam-Niam expedition, and he rejoined the 2^nd Battalion which was stationed at Fermoy.  Thence he went to the 1stBattalion at Malta and with it to India. The Haldance disbandments caused him to be transferred to the Liverpool Regiment.  While in India he made the most of his opportunities for indulging his love of sport.  Two visits to Cashmere, for fishing and shooting, added to his very fine collection of heads which are now in the British Museum.  In the ANNUAL Nos 12 and 14 there are two short shooting narratives by him.  He left India in 1913 on a year’s leave, bringing home the Gold Medal for the best Essay on “The Defence of India”.  When war was declared he was ordered to at Aldershot, and while there he raised the 6th and 7th Battalions of the Bedford Regiment.

In November 1914, he was promoted Substantive Lieut-Colonel and was ordered to join the 1st Liverpool Regiment. He commanded this Battalion at the first battle of Ypres.  Throughout the winter of 1914-15 he was in the trenches, chiefly in the vicinity of Ypres and the Givenchy brickfields.

In the battle of Neuve Chapelle on the 10thMarch, 1915, he was badly wounded, being mentioned in despatches and awarded the C.M.G

Colonel Carter rejoined his Battalion on the 1^st July 1915, and commanded it at the battle of Loos.  Soon after Loos he was appointed temporary Brigadier, to command the 85^th Brigade, and the honour of Companion of the Bath was conferred upon him

With the 85^th Brigade he went to Salonika.  During the two years he was at the head of the 85^th Brigade he fought a number of actions in Macedonia, especially in the Struma valley.

In January, 1918, he was promoted Substantive Colonel.  The climate and hardships had told upon his naturally strong constitution, and he was invalided to England, suffering from malaria.  As soon as he was able he resumed active work and took the command of the 226^th Brigade at Clacton-on-Sea.  He once more succeeded in getting to France but too late to get into active operations, but in time to witness the final battle and pursuit of the Germans.

Colonel Carter was ordered to Cologne where he was employed in civil administration under the Military Governor-General, Sir Charles Fergusson.  He handed over the affairs of his district to the French, returning to England in 1919, when he was placed on half pay.

The command of the Liverpool Territorial Brigade was conferred upon him, but after two months he resigned the appointment.  Colonel Carter was almost at once offered and accepted the command (with the local rank of Major-General) of the Imperial Forces in South Africa, and these he transferred in December 1921, to the local authorities, and was thus the last British General to have command of the Imperial troops in South Africa

Looking back over the chequered history of the British Army throughout the nineteenth century in South Africa, this was a very notable event.  At Pretoria Genera and Mrs Carter were the guests of H.R.H Prince Arthur of Conn aught and at the farewell dinner H.R.H made the most flattering allusions to General Carter.  On his return to England in June 1922, he was offered the command of the troops in Jamaica, but the state of his health prevented his accepting it.  Major-General Carter was invalided from the Army suffering from diabetes and ill-health due to active service.  The necessity for a very serious operation supervened, and this gallant soldier died on July 23^rd 1923, suffering bravely and uncomplainingly.  In a too brief summary of his service, he concluded it with the quotation: Sic transit Gloria mundi.  It may be the end of earthly glory for him, but for a life of only51 years, crowded with good service and adventures of all kinds, of capable, practical soldiership, a true and trusted leader of men. That is a heritage that his sons and daughters will ever be proud of, and in the Regiment Roll of Honour his name will have a very high place.

Major-General Freeth was present at his funeral, and the 1^st Battalion were represented by a party of officers, N.C.officers and men.