In Railway Dugouts Burial Ground (Transport Farm), Belgium is the Commonwealth War Grave of 19047 Private Henry Carson, serving with the 13th Battalion Durham Light Infantry who died 06/11/1916.
He was the son of Joseph and Deborah Carson, of 6, Field Street, Felling on Tyne.
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Henry Carson was born 1886 at Mossley, historically in Cumberland, the oldest surviving son of 5 children, 2 sons and 3 daughters, 1 child deceased gender unknown. His father Joseph Carson born at Maryport Cumberland in 1863 married at Chester le Street, County Durham in 1880 Deborah Mary Nicholson, native of North Seaton, Northumberland born 1864. Newly married they lived with Joseph’s parents, their grandson aged 4 and his sister Mary Ann at A Court 6, King Street, Crosscanonby. Joseph was employed at the foundry as a labourer, his father as a furnaceman. After the birth of their three children, Henry, Catherine and John Ralph they moved to the north east to Thistle Lane, Hebburn, near South Shields where their daughters Frances and Deborah were born.
Joseph continued to be employed in the iron industry this time as as iron dresser, however when they moved to Wesley Street, Heworth, Gateshead he worked as a steel cleaner. Henry only 15 years of age worked below ground at the colliery as a putter, however ten years later both he and John Ralph had joined their father working for a steel manufacturer, Henry (25) as a steel moulder, John Ralph (21) as a steel cleaner. The family had moved to a 4 roomed home at 26, Field Street, Felling.
On the outbreak of war on August 4th 1914 Henry Carson enlisted at Felling, Gateshead, for 3 years or the duration of the war, September 7th 1914, assigned as Private 19047 Durham Light Infantry the following day at Newcastle upon Tyne.
4,000 recruits left Newcastle upon Tyne for Bullswater Camp, Surrey where they were divided into the 12th and 13th battalions D.L.I. and 10th and 11th Battalions Northumberland Fusiliers. Private Carson was posted to the 13th Battalion D.L.I. The recruits began their training wearing their own civilian clothes but were eventually issued with blue serge uniforms and in late October 1914 obsolete Lee Retford rifles. By November rain made Bullswater camp unusable and the 12th and 13th moved to Malplaquet Barracks in Aldershot and later to Ashford in Kent and finally to Bramshot, Hampshire. In February 1915 khaki uniforms and leather equipment arrived and by July 1916 rifle training was complete and the battalions were ready for service overseas.
They departed August 25th 1915 as part of the 68th Brigade, 23rd Division landing in France on the 26th and within days without any nursery training were in the trenches, however, they were spared the disastrous Battle of Loos and spent the rest of 1915 in the trenches at Armentieres and Soucher.
In late June 1916 the 23rd Division was moved south to the Somme and the 13th Battalion entered the fighting at La Boisselle July 7th then spending most of August in reserve at Armentieres. They returned to the Somme and October 7th, assisted by a tank, attacked and captured Tangie a complex of trenches and machine guns east of Sars with the loss of 30 men killed and 80 wounded. Battle concluded they left the Somme for the Ypres salient in Belgium.
Private 19047 Henry Carson Durham Light Infantry was killed in action on the Ypres salient November 6th 1916 whilst the 13th Battalion was in the front line in the commune of Zillebeke. He was interred at Railway Dugouts Burial Ground (Transport Farm), West Vlaanderen, 2 kilometres south-east of Ypres, Belgium, grave VI. O. 33.
He did not leave a Will, all monies due to him were given to his father along with his awards of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to him at 6, Field Street, Felling, Gateshead, County Durham.
A letter dated January 9th 1917 was sent by Henry’s brother to No.1 Infantry Records, York, transcribed including any grammatical errors it reads, Sir, Would you please oblige and inform my mother Mrs D. Carson, if you have any personal effects belonging to my brother Pte. Henry Carson, Reg No19047 13th D.L.I. who was killed in action on the 6/11/16. The CLMS of my late brothers company in formed my mother this morning that he had sent everything of value my late brother possessed to my mother but nothing has been received, Hoping you will oblige, yours sincerely J R Carson. Private Carson’s military record which is badly fire damaged and missing pages does not contain a copy of the response or outcome of this situation. Hopefully his grieving mother did receive something of her son’s belongings.
Henry’s father Joseph Carson died at Gateshead in 1932 aged 69 years, the death of Deborah Mary Carson nee Nicholson preceded that of her husband in 1924.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
His death was reported in Heslop’s Local Advertiser 22/12/1916:
Private Henry Carson, D.L.I., killed in action on Nov. 6th. Eldest son of Joseph and Deborah Carson, Field Street, Felling.
Henry Carson is remembered at Felling on F32.06 and in the D.L.I. Book of Remembrance page 309.
