Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Archibald Arthur Cameron Carter, clerk and later university employee and electrical mechanic was born on 12 April 1903 at Maidenhead, UK.

 He enlisted 27 June 1918 at Melbourne, falsely stating that he was born in 1899 and that he had previous service in the Senior Cadets. He embarked on 2 November 1918 with 17 Victorian General Service Reinforcements however the war ended and he was recalled on 11 November 1918 and returned to Adelaide on 12 December.

Even at that young age he had been promoted to Lance Corporal in charge of men twice his age. Archibald took his discharge at Melbourne on 6 January 1919.

He joined the Militia at Fort Gellibrand on 28 February 1929 and was allotted the Army number VE44377. He served with the Australian Garrison Artillery with the 2nd, 6th and 19th Heavy Brigades and later that year was promoted to Sergeant.

On 23 March 1930 he was commissioned as a Lieutenant, and later a Captain in November 1936 with 6 Heavy Brigade at Nepean, NSW.

Archibald enlisted in the 2nd AIF at South Melbourne on 30 April 1940 and his rank of Captain was recognised. He was posted to 2/2 Medium Artillery Regiment and in October it was redesignated 2/12th Field Regiment. They embarked for the Middle East on 17 November 1940, disembarking on 17 December 1940 at Suez. They proceeded to camp at Qastina, Palestine followed by Garrison Duty in Syria and operations in North Africa.

The regiment subsequently undertook three major battles in the North African campaign, seeing action during the Siege of Tobruk and then the First and Second Battles of El Alamein. These were punctuated by a period of garrison duty in Lebanon between January and June 1942, where the regiment formed part of the occupation force established there after the defeat of Vichy French forces during the Syria-Lebanon Campaign, tasked with defending against a possible German attack over the Caucasus towards the strategically important Middle East oilfields. 

During the regiment's involvement in the fighting around Tobruk, it arrived at the port on HMAS Vampire in mid-May without any guns, and was allocated to the western sector, where they took over an assortment of British and captured Italian guns. This included several 60-pounders and 4.5-inch howitzers. According to The Mercury newspaper, during the siege the regiment "spent more days in action than any other Australian artillery unit".

When they were finally relieved and evacuated from the besieged port – around September as part of the 24th Infantry Brigade– the regiment left its motley assortment of equipment to the British unit that replaced them – the 144th Field Regiment – and subsequently adopted the 144th's complete set of twenty-four 25-pounders and 36 tractors.

Captain Carter was seriously wounded at El Alamein on 29 April 1942 – sustaining shrapnel wounds to his chest and abdomen. This saw him hospitalised at 2/6 Australian General Hospital.

For his services in North Africa he was mentioned in despatches “in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the Middle East during the period from 1 Mary 1942 to 22 October 1942”.

He was also awarded a commendation card by the General Officer Commanding AIF Middle East for his gallantry in action – one of just two to the regiment. Finally he received the coveted Distinguished Service Order “in recognition of gallant and distinguished service in the Middle East”

The actual recommendation however was quite a bit more detailed.

“For the period 23 Oct 42 to 23 Jan 43

During the period under review, while in the El Alamein area, Major CARTER has shown outstanding courage and ability in all engagements with the enemy. Major CARTER was Liaison officer at HQ , 26 Aust. Inf. Bde and later at HQ 24 Aust. Inf Bde, during the operations on 26 Oct - 1 Nov and he carried out his duties at those Headquarters with the greatest coolness and judgment, notwithstanding difficulties of enemy fire, of conflicting reports and of incessant demands for fire over wide areas. This officer's work in this connection, which did not cease until he was severely wounded, played a large part in repelling heavy enemy counter-attacks.

Major CARTER has been tireless in carrying out his duties during the whole period, his example has been an inspiration to all ranks in his battery, which reflects his personality in its high morale.”

In January 1943, the regiment returned to Australia aboard the transport Ile de France as part of the final of the transference of Australian ground troops from the Middle East to the Pacific.

After leave, the 2/12th re-formed at Kairi, on the Atherton Tablelands in Queensland in April 1943. A period of reorganisation and training followed as the 2/12th was prepared for the rigours of jungle warfare. In late July, they embarked by detachments at Cairns upon several transports including HMAS Manoora, Van Heutz, W Ellery Channing, USS Henry T Allen and the Van Der Lijn, bound for New Guinea where they were to join the fighting against the Japanese. 

After arriving at Milne Bay on or about 9 August Major Carter took part in landings around Lae and then Finschhafen in September, and saw action during the Huon Peninsula campaign. Supporting the 20th Infantry Brigade during the initial landing around Scarlet Beach, once Finschhafen was secured, the regiment's guns support the attack on Sattelberg from the coastal plain, before supporting further advances north as part of the drive towards Sio before returning to Australia on 7 March 1944.  Whilst in Australia during October 1944 he was admitted to 2/2 Australian General Hospital with a fracture.

After a year-long interlude training around Ravenshoe, Queensland, the regiment undertook its final campaign of the war in 1945, providing fire support during the Battle of North Borneo. Major Carter and his regiment embarked from Townsville for Morotai on 26 April 1945.

Assigned to support the 24th Infantry Brigade, during the landing on Labuan two troops of the 2/12th came ashore alongside the assaulting infantry in LVTs, something the Australian Army had not done before.

Later, on 1 June 1945, he led a detachment of 14 guns from the regiment which were moved by barge to support operations around Weston and Beaufort in British North Borneo. The swampy ground in the area posed problems for the gunners, who had to shore up the ground with coconut palms.

He returned to Australia on 17 January 1946.

At the end of the war, the regiment was disbanded with its last war diary entry being made on 1 March 1946. Major Carter was the last man to march out. His appointment was terminated on 15 March 1946 and Major Carter was transferred to the Reserve of Officers of the 3rd Military District.

His World War Two service medals were posted to him in 1952.

He was reactivated in June 1956 and was given the new service number VX700381. He was seconded to the Department of External Affairs and was posted for duty as a Military Observer in Palestine. He embarked from Sydney on 1 July 1956 and landed in Beirut 4 days later. His service in the Middle East for 2 years and he returned to Australia in July 1958, his appointment being terminated in September.

He qualified for his Efficiency Decoration in September 1956

Major Archibald Arthur Cameron Carter DSO ED died at Heidelberg Hospital, Victoria on 4 June 1976 and is buried at Springvale Botanical Cemetery, Dandenong, Victoria.