#52Ancestorsin52Weeks Wk33/52 Charles Arthur Stanley CARRETT and Leslie Irving Claude CARRETT
This biography was written as part of the 52 ancestors in 52 weeks exercise devised by Amy Johnson Crow. You can join in too here.
Week 33's theme is "Service." Military service. Service stations. In service to others. Even good or bad service at a restaurant. Let your imagination run with this week's theme!
Context
for discovery:
I am deviating from the norm
this week by not writing about my direct ancestors but rather about two great uncles on my father’s side of the family.
This blog post is a compilation of several blog posts I previously wrote about the Carrett family’s war service as well as new information.
Childhood
Birth
Date/Place:
Charles
Arthur Stanley Carrett was born 7th March 1891 at Seaview Street, Dulwich Hill,
Marrickville, and baptized on 26th April at St Stephen’s, Newtown[i]
Leslie
Irving Claude Carrett was born on 14th June 1896 in Dubbo[ii]
They were
the younger brothers of my great grandfather George Henry Charles Carrett. Their parents were George and Sarah Carrett
(nee Stores). There were nine children
in the family and my great-grandfather was the eldest. He was born in 1879 so Charles was 12 years
younger and Leslie was 17 years younger than my great-grandfather.
I have
written about my great-grandfather’s service on this blog post here.
1913 – Older brother George and his wife Daisy are living at Flinders Road Canterbury. George is described as a builder. His father, George Henry II is living around the corner in Riverview road with his wife Sarah and daughter Mary Ann. Charles, George Henry III’s brother, and wife Louisa are living in Bass Road.[iii]
In 1915 Charles is shown as living at Bass Road Canterbury in the Sands Directory.[vi]
Married Life
Marriage
Dates/Places:
Charles
married Louisa Agnes Larson in 1912 at Marrickville in New South Wales.[iv]
Leslie
married Alice M Sheldon in 1919 at Marrickville, New South Wales[v]
Children’s Birth Dates/Places:
No children
found born to Charles and Louisa.
Alice Joyce
Carrett born to Leslie and Alice in 1920.[vii]
Betty another daughter was born later.
War Service
 |
| George Henry Cjharles Carrett III and Charles Arthur Stanley Carrett France 1917/1918 |
Leslie tried
to enlist but was rejected on medical grounds. I was able to view his record yesterday but for some odd reason cannot open it properly today. You can see it here.
Charles enlisted
on 15 May 1916 at the age of 25 and 2 months. [viii]
At the time he was 5ft 71/4 inches, weighing 147lbs with a tan complexion, fair
hair and blue eyes - a bricklayer turned Gunner. His chest measurement was 37 ½
inches.
He joined
the 6th Reinforcements of the 11th Field Artillery
Brigade AIF. His regimental number was 27253. His address was Riverview Road
Marrickville, NSW. Next of kin was his
wife Mrs Louisa Agnes Carrett care of Mrs Larson Kays Avenue Marrickville then “Heatherdean”
Wardell Road Dulwich Hill, N.S.W. His religion was C of E. He was paid 5
shilling per day. He embarked on HMAT Aeneas A60 on 30 September 1916[ix]
He disembarked at Plymouth 19 November
1916.
Charles’
service record shows him proceeding from Larkhill to France landing in Etaples
21 March 1917. He is transferred to the 4th Divisional Ammunition Column from the 11th FAB on 29th March and then to the 10th FAB on 4th May.
I found a
Trove article quoting a letter from Charles to his brother Ern in Dubbo. Charles said “the atmosphere was “so thin
that he had to melt the ink in order to use it.” Englishmen say it is the
coldest winter for 30 years. During the
naval scrap, late in January, the dead were frozen to the deck. If a man stands still for a minute his hands
and feet become numbed. They were all
well fed and all reasonable comforts were attended to.”[x]
On 19th June 2017 he is wounded in action and transferred to York House Hospital Folkestone with a gunshot wound to his left foot. This is likely to have been the in the 2nd Battle of Bullecourt according to Graeme Hosken’s concise guide to the battles of the AIF divisions on the Western Front.[xi]
In August he
is charged with being Absent Without Leave for four days and confined to camp
for 7 days and forfeited five days’ pay.
By February
2018 he is back in France with the 10th Field Artillery Brigade. He was wounded in action 2 May 1918 and admitted to
hospital. His casualty record indicates
that there was a gunshot wound to his 2nd right finger treated by
the 5th London Field Ambulance and that he was admitted to the 12th
USA Hospital at Rouen. There was a court of Inquiry 7901 Subject
W3428 but found not to blame. He rejoined his brigade 1st June 1918
and then went on leave to England 16 November.
He returned from leave to France 7th December but by 18
January was back in hospital sick with a fractured rib in Boulogne. He was returned to the Military Hospital in
Paddington 3 February 1919 and then to Dartford and then No. 1 Company Depot
Sutton Veny. He was charged with being Absent Without Leave for a day on 20
February and forfeited a day’s pay. He
was granted an extension of leave from 28 February to 7 March and then marched
in from London to Weymouth. He was
returned to Australia from England per “Armagh” on 5 April 1919 and discharged
27 June 1919.
Life Back Home
1928 Sands Directory shows Ern
Carrett living at Wonga Street, Canterbury, George Carrett at Wairoa St,
Campsie and G H Carrett living at Waira St, Canterbury and L Carrett living at
59 Ocean Street Kogarah[xii]
1929 Charles and Leslie’s
father died in October[xiii]
1931 Leslie Irving Claude
Carrett is listed in the Australian Electoral Rolls as living at Bollinger
Street Parkes, carpenter[xiv] and C.A.S. Carrett
according to the Sands Directory is living at Kyle Parade Hurstville.[xv]
1934 Charles and Leslie’s
mother died in February[xvi]
1935 Charles is listed as
living at Kyle Parade Blakehurst, bricklayer with wife Louisa Agnes in the
Electoral Roll[xvii]
Senior
Years
In 1951 Leslie’s daughter Betty married Norman Spicer,
manager of 2PK radio station at St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney.[xviii] Betty was of Bollinger
Street Parkes.[xix]
Charles and Leslie’s older brother George Henry Charles
Carrett died in 27 December 1953.[xx]
Date and place of Death
Leslie died
23 July 1954 aged 58 at Parkes, New South Wales[xxi]
Charles died
on Christmas day in 1964 aged 73 at Kyle Bay, Georges River Council, New South
Wales, Australia. [xxii]
Date and
Place of Burial:
Leslie was buried
in the Old Anglican portion of Parkes General Cemetery Z31[xxiii]
the next day.[xxiv]
Charles is buried at Woronora Memorial Park – Ang 3 0354[xxv]
Conclusion
I am pleased to have conducted a little more research on the Carrett side of the family and completed another week of #52Ancestorsin52Weeks.
How has your week been?
Have you entered the National Family History Month competition here? Terms and conditions apply.
Have you registered to attend the Closing Ceremony via Zoom next Wednesday 31 August?
References
[i] Sydney,
Australia, Anglican Parish Registers, 1814-2011 [database
on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2017.Original
data:Sydney Diocesan Archives, Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney. Sydney, New
South Wales, Australia.
[ii] Ancestry.com.
Australia, Birth Index, 1788-1922 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA:
Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. The New South Wales Pioneers Index:
Pioneers Series 1788-1888
[iii] FindMyPast
Australia Electoral Rolls 1913 District Canterbury Number 233 Page 4
[iv] Ancestry.com.
Australia, Marriage Index, 1788-1950 [database on-line]. Nsw Pioneer Index -
Federation Series 1889 - 1918,Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.,
2010.
[v]
FindMyPast New South Wales Marriages 1788-1945 Marrickville, Registration
Number 12660
[vi] Ancestry.com,
Sands Directories: Sydney and New South Wales, Australia, 1858-1933, 1915,
p.1104
[vii] NSW
Registry Office BDM Index
[viii]
NAA, Series B2455, Carrett Charles Arthur Stanley : SERN 27253 : POB Sydney NSW
: POE Marrickville NSW : NOK W Carrett Laura Agnes
[ix]
Australian War Memorial, First World War Embarkation Roll https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1775369?image=1
[x] "Our
Soldiers" Dubbo Dispatch and Wellington Independent (NSW : 1887 - 1932) 16
March 1917: 7. Web. 27 Aug 2022
<http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article228640002>.
[xi]
Hosken, Graeme, Digging for Diggers: A guide to researching an Australian
soldier of the Great War, 1914-1918, , ANZAC Day Commemoration Committee
(Queensland) Incorporated, Aspley, 2002, p 51
[xii]
FindMyPast New South Wales Directories, 1928, Image Number 1186, Sands
Directory, page 1123
[xiii]
FindMyPast Civil Deaths and Burials Registration number 20510 (mother Mary and
father George H)
[xiv] Ancestry.com.,
Australian Electoral Rolls, 1901-1936,Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: The
Generations Network, Inc., 2007.Original data - Australian Electoral
Commission. [Electoral roll].Original data: Australian Electoral Commission.
[Electoral roll
[xv] Ancestry.com.
Sands Directories: Sydney and New South Wales, Australia, 1858-1933 [database
on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. This collection
was indexed by Ancestry World Archives Project contributors.
[xvi] Ancestry.com.
Australia, Death Index, 1787-1985 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA:
Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.
[xvii]
FindMyPast New South Wales Electoral Rolls, 1935, Image Number 544,
Commonwealth Electoral Roll, Barton
[xviii]
"Recent Weddings" Catholic Weekly (Sydney, NSW : 1942 - 1954) 18
October 1951: 8 (Magazine Section). Web. 27 Aug 2022
<http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article146745002>.
[xix] "About
People--" The Forbes Advocate (NSW : 1911 - 1954) 12 October 1951: 2. Web.
27 Aug 2022 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article219126938>.
[xx]
Ancestry.com, New South Wales, Australia, Index to Deceased Estate Files,
1859-1958 B Series, B89311
[xxi]
Ancestry.com, New South Wales, Australia, Index to Deceased Estate Files,
1859-1958, B Series, No. B101567
[xxii]
Ancestry.com. Australia Cemetery Index, 1808-2007 [database on-line]. Provo,
UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010.Compiler: Botany Bay Family History
Society; Collection Title: Woronora Cemetery Transcriptions
[xxiii]
Find A Grave
[xxiv]
1954 'Family Notices', The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), 24 July,
p. 52. , viewed 27 Aug 2022, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18432144
[xxv]
Ancestry.com, Australia and New Zealand, Find A Grave Index, 1800s-Current,
Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 2012 Provo, UT, USA
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