George Larter

Private, later Corporal - Service No.15780 - Norfolk Regiment

George Larter was born on 7th February 1891 in Swardeston, Norfolk, the son of George Larter and his wife Sarah Ann (Fox). He was the fourth of six children, Arthur (1883), Herbert (1886), Alice (1888), Lydia (1894) and Ernest (1896). George and Sarah married in 1882 and lived at Swardeston in a cottage in Post Office Yard off High Common. Before the birth of daughter Lydia in 1894 the family moved to Swardeston Lane in East Carleton, although Lydia was still baptised in Swardeston church. George worked as a labourer on a farm in Swardeston and then as a carter.

In 1921 George married Edith Maude Dale, the eldest daughter of William Dale and his wife Zillah (Atkins). Edith was born in Flordon, Norfolk, on 8th September 1893. George and Edith had two daughters, Hazel (1926) and Betsy (1928). Both are believed to have married and it is likely that their children survive but are, to date, untraced. George Larter died in 1966 and his widow, Edith, in 1982.

George completed his attestation in Norwich on 2nd September 1914 within weeks of the declaration of war and posted to the 3rd Battalion, Norfolk Regiment as private 15780. Seven weeks later he was posted to the 10th Battalion and, the following August, to the 8th Battalion. He was appointed to paid Lance Corporal on a number of ocassions during 1915, 1916 and 1917 before being promoted to Corporal on 21st January 1918. George served in France with the British Expeditionary Force from 12th August 1915 'til 3rd July 1916 (326 days) and was then returned to England for just over a year after receiving a gunshot wound to the left hand and thigh for which he was hospitalised for 15 days in July 1916. Once recovered he then served in Mesopotamia from 18th August 1917 'til 3rd March 1919 (1 year, 198 days). George was finally discharged on 11th May 1919. Some 23 pages of his army records survive from which has been gleaned the above information. We also know he was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal, a combination often irreverently referred to as Pip, Squeak and Wilfred.

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