A Western Front Brigade Commander’s Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George and Mention in Despatches group awarded to Brevet Colonel A.H. Carter, the Commanding Officer of the 51st Brigade, Royal Field Artillery who arrived on the Western Front on 12th May 1916, and would have seen action at the Battle of Loos, later being Mentioned in Despatches in the London Gazette of 1st January 1916 and then subsequently being appointed a Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George in the London Gazette of 3rd June 1916.
Group of 4: The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Companion, C.M.G., breast badge, post-1887-1917 issue in silver-gilt and enamels, converted for wear as a neck badge, and housed in a fitted and glazed case the top left hand corner of which is initialled ‘A.H.C. C.M.G.’, and the glass removable. 1914-1915 Star; (BT. COL. A.H. CARTER. R.F.A.) British War Medal and Victory Medal with Mention in Despatches oak leaf; (BT. COL. A.H. CARTER.) These last three housed in a fitted case with a removable glass covering and initially ‘A.H.C.’ in the top left hand corner.
Condition: some minor surface wear to the enamel on the obverse of the C.M.G., the trio on the original ribbons, Nearly Extremely Fine
Alfred Henry Carter was born on 17th September 1856 in Hampshire and later saw service as a Brevet Colonel with 51st Brigade, Royal Field Artillery on the Western Front from 12th May 1915, he would be Mentioned in Despatches in the London Gazette of 1st January 1916 and then would be appointed a Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George in the London Gazette of 3rd June 1916 for services rendered in the field, where he is noted as on retired pay.
Carter commanded the 51st Brigade, Royal Field Artillery and the 39th Divisional Artillery Column during the European War. The 51st Brigade served with 9th Scottish Division and was formed in late August 1914, part of Kitchener’s First New Army. Following training in Scotland, they moved to Salisbury in late August and to Bordon in September. They would proceed to France between 9th and 12th May 1915 and would go into action at the Battle of Loos. In 1916 they would participate in the Battle of the Somme, including at the capture of Longueval, The Battle of Delville Wood and the Battle of Le Transloy.
In 1917 they fought in the First and Second Battles of the Scarpe during the Arras Offensive, The First Battle of Passchendaele and the action of Welsh Ridge. In 1918 they fought on the Somme, in the Battle of Lys and The Advance in Flanders, capturing the Outtersteene Ridge and seeing action in the Battle of Courtrai and the action of Ooteghem. They were resting in billets at the Armistice.
Carter died in on 21st November 1934 and is buried at St. Mary and the Holy Cross Churchyard, Milstead, Swale Borough, Kent, aged 78.
