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This data is related to World War 1
Private

Harold Carver

Service Number 9468
Military Unit 1st Bn Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment)
Date of birth Unknown
Date of Death 05 Jul 1916 (29 Years Old)
Place of Birth Nottingham
Employment, Education or Hobbies Unknown
Family History

Harold Carver was born in 1887 at Nottingham and was the son of George a coal miner and Mary Ann Carver née Eason of 4 Chaucer Terrace, Nottingham His father George was born in 1854 at Fledborough, he died in 1902 at Nottingham aged 48 yrs and his mother Mary Ann Eason was born in 1856 at Selston, she died in 1915 aged 59 yrs, they were married in 1878 their marriage was recorded in the Bingham registration district, they went on to have the following children, Fred b1880 Selston, Mabel b1881 Nottingham, George b1884 Nottm, Harold b1887 Nottingham, Alice b1890 Nottingham, William b1894 Nottingham.

Military History

9468 Private Harold Carver was likely to have been a reservist in the Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) with an enlistment date of July 1904. On the outbreak of war all reservists were mobilized and on 6th August 1914, 350 of them joined the 2nd battalion from the Depot. The battalion including Harold moved to France on 8 September 1914 and took part in many of the early battles which proved costly. The medal roll shows that Harold only served in 2nd battalion but he must have been posted to the 1st prior to his death on 5 July 1916 on the Somme. The battalion were tasked with holding the line near La Boisselle for the night and then on 5th making an attack around 2pm. It was a nightmare journey just to get into the line and the battalion was heavily shelled on the way. Eventually they made it but it was all confusion and the CO decided to attack in three columns with a definite objective for each. The 57th Brigade failed to send up two companies of reserves and the CO had to use men from H.Q., company in the attack. The attack began but after many hours of close quarter fighting it was obvious that all except 'D' company had been driven back. 'D' company made five attacks before winning and holding a portion of trench but at 9pm they were withdrawn before being cut off. A slight counter attack was made by the enemy on 6th but repulsed. The battalion was relieved soon afterwards and marched back to Dernancourt. Casualties had been 4 officers and 50 other ranks killed, 10 officers and 175 other ranks wounded. Harold has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial Somme France. John Morse

Extra Information

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