Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

World War I:

Enlisted in Scotts Creek, South Australia 7th September 1915

Service number 10762

2nd Reinforcements, 6th Field Artillery Brigade

Awarded the Military Medal 6th October 1917

Commonwealth of Australia Gazette: 
7 March 1918 - Page 399, position 105

London Gazette: 
19 November 1917 - Page 11974, position 6

World War II:

Enlisted in Mount Gambier, South Australia 15th April 1942

Service number S75466

9th Battalion South Australia Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC)

Retired 14th February 1946

Personal:

Attended The University of Adelaide, completing a Bachelor of Arts

Played for Sturt in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL), debuting 31st July 1920 in round 12 as the 220th senior player of the club

Married Doris Cleggett in 1923

Lancelot Carthew, better known as Lance to his family and friends, was born on the 25th of April 1893 in Scott’s Creek, South Australia (“Australian Soldiers, Memorials and Military History”). He was the youngest son of 5 children, his siblings being, Ada Mary Carthew, George Carthew, Sydney Thomas Carthew, and John Carthew. His parents were Sarah Ann Carthew and Stephen Pellew Carthew (www.wikitree.com, 1893). Lance was part of the Stirling United Football Club. He began his schooling in Mount Gambier, before continuing his education journey at Adelaide High School (“Well Known Teacher Dies”). It was during high school when he captained the Adelaide High Football team as they versed the team from Melbourne High School. Along with football, Carthew was also a member of the first cricket and rowing teams at Adelaide High School. He then went to the University of Adelaide.

When he was 22 and still a university student, Lance enlisted into the army on the 7th of September 1915. He was given the service number 10762 and was allocated to 2nd reinforcements, 6th Field Artillery Brigade as a Gunner. He embarked Melbourne on the 5th of January 1916 on the HMAT Afric A19.

The first guns that the 6th Field Artillery brigade used were 18 pounders, one of the British Commonwealth’s most widely used field gun during the First World War. They later improvised a heavy Battery created with two 150mm howitzers and a 120mm Naval Quick Firing gun (“6th Field Artillery Brigade”).

Lancelot mainly served in Egypt and France. He received a Military Medal for his service as a Gunner in Zillebeke on the 14th of September 1917.

'On the 14th September 1917, at ZILLEBEKE, the 18th Battery position was heavily shelled from 3 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. with 5.9" and 8". At 3.36 p.m. an ammunition dump alongside No. 1 gun was hit and it and the gun pit caught fire. These men [8360 M.A. COCKER, 8381 D.D. BRADBURY, (8381) Lt E.J. SHEPHERD, (10762) Lt L. CARTHEW] on Lieutenant DODD calling for a party rushed out of the shelter trench in the face of the heavy fire and with water from adjacent shell holes succeeded in putting it out. Later the pit was again hit and it and the ammunition and an adjacent pit caught fire. These men again went out with Lieutenant DODD in the face of the shelling and succeeded in saving the guns and ammunition. They displayed great gallantry and determination in the face of very considerable danger.' - Quote taken from the Commonwealth Gazette, No. 3 released on the 7th of March 1918.

Carthew came back to Australia on the 1st of November 1919 when he was 25 years old. After he returned, he went to Oxford university for a year, before he decided to go back to the University of Adelaide, where he completed a Bachelor of Arts (“Australian Soldiers, Memorials and Military History”). He also played football for Sturt in the SANFL. He first appeared on field on the 31st of July 1920, in round 12 as the 220th senior player of the club.

Carthew decided to follow his dream of becoming a teacher. This led him to take the role of principal for many high schools in South Australia over numerous years. These schools included Burra, Gladstone, Mount Barker, Mount Gambier, Murray Bridge, Port Pirie and Unley high school (“Well Known Teacher Dies”).

Lancelot was married to a maiden named Doris Clegget on the 26th of December 1923, their reception took place in the Strathalbyn institute hall. They had a child name Lancelot George Carthew, who was a toddler when he sadly passed away in 1928 (www.wikitree.com, 1893). They had three more children, two sons, John and Brian Carthew and one daughter, Margaret Carthew.

World War 2 started on the 1st of September 1939 when Lancelot was 46 years old. He enlisted on the 15th of April 1942 at the age of 48. He was given the service number S75466 and was allocated to the 9th Battalion South Australian Volunteer Defence Corps, (VDC) for Mount Gambier. Although they had already adapted the age and experience restrictions to join the VDC before Lancelot registered, they originally only accepted former service men who had previously fought in World War 1 (“9th (SA) Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC)”). This meant that Carthew was a perfect fit for this role as commanding officer for the 9th battalion VDC in World War 2.

He later served as Lieutenant-Colonel which was a great honour for Lance.

Carthew was discharged from World War 2 on the 15th of February in 1946, at the age of 52 years old.

Lancelot Carthew was a well-known teacher across South Australia when he finally decided to retire in 1958, when he was 65 years old. He was a member of the R.S.L. (Returned Services League of Australia) and also a member of Lodge Acacia, Blackwood (“Well Known Teacher Dies”).

Carthew sadly passed away on the 10th of February in 1967 at the age of 73, while in the Blackwood Community Hospital, South Australia. He was survived by his widow, Doris Clegget and his children, Brian, John and Margaret. After he was cremated, Lancelot’s urn was placed in the plot, RSL, Wall 126, Niche B002 in Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia, (“Australian Soldiers, Memorials and Military History”). 

His widow, Doris Carthew, (maiden name, Clegget) died 33 years post to Lancelot’s death on the 2nd of June 1991 at the age of 90.

References-

-       “9th (SA) Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC).” Vwma.org.au, vwma.org.au/explore/units/936#:~:text=The%20government%20took%20over%20control. Accessed 5 June 2024.

-       “Australian Soldiers, Memorials and Military History.” Vwma.org.au, vwma.org.au/explore/projects/132343/edit?t=1717492938029. Accessed 4 June 2024.

-       Burke, Arthur. “The Spirit of ANZAC - ANZAC Day Commemoration Committee.” Anzacday.org.au, 2023, anzacday.org.au/spirit-of-anzac.

-       “Group Portrait of Members of the 6th Field Artillery Brigade, 18th Battery Taken during The ...” Www.awm.gov.au, www.awm.gov.au/collection/C2109321. Accessed 6 June 2024.

-       “Guerilla Warfare.” Www.armyupress.army.mil, www.armyupress.army.mil/Journals/Military-Review/English-Edition-Archives/mr-history-page/MR-Categories-Guerrilla-Warfare/Apr-1942-Anderson/#:~:text=The%20Spanish%20word%20%E2%80%9Cguerrilla%E2%80%9D%20translated.

-       Hughes, Thomas A., and John Graham Royde-Smith. “World War II.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 28 Feb. 2022, www.britannica.com/event/World-War-II.

-       “Lancelot Carthew.” Www.awm.gov.au, www.awm.gov.au/collection/R2292811. Accessed 6 June 2024.

-       “Lancelot Carthew (1893-1967) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree.” Www.wikitree.com, 25 Apr. 1893, www.wikitree.com/wiki/Carthew-118. Accessed 4 June 2024.

-       “Stirling United Football Club.” State Library of South Australia, collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/D+7865/1(Misc). Accessed 4 June 2024.

-       “Unsung Heroes | Naa.gov.au.” Naa.gov.au, 2024, www.naa.gov.au/blog/unsung-heroes#:~:text=As%20the%20threat%20of%20invasion.

-       “Well Known Teacher Dies.” Coromandel, 23 Feb. 1967, trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/261084431?searchTerm=%22lancelot%20Carthew%22. Accessed 6 June 2024.

-       “6th Field Artillery Brigade.” Vwma.org.au, vwma.org.au/explore/units/155#:~:text=The%2018%20pounders%20were%20the. Accessed 6 June 2024.

-       “Details.” Www.aif.adfa.edu.au, www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=48170. Accessed 7 June 2024.