Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Malcolm was born in the country town of Eudunda on the 20th September 1920. His father, Edward Thomas Carter owned a family farm at Ngapala, in the mid-north of South Australia, an area known for its mixed farming. Edward was very much a community man who served on the local District Council of Julia in the 1930’s including being Council representative on the Eudunda Hospital Board.
Malcolm (known as Max) attended the local school, which frequently joined the Julia School for combined picnics on occasions such as Eight Hours Day. Max was just two years old when his family hosted the school picnic in one of the farm’s paddocks, with the celebration returning the following year. Other farmers also hosted the event, with Edward continuing to take an active part in the proceedings as one of the judges for the flat, potato, flag and three-legged races, and the unpredictable rooster chase.
Funds were raised for the school and Methodist Church with activities such as Strawberry Fetes which also included items from the Point Pass Choir.
With the outbreak of WWII, 20-year-old Max, enlisted on the 30th January, 41 and was given the number SX11146 in the 2/48th Battalion Reinforcements. His training was north of his hometown, at Jamestown, an area which was thought to be similar to the conditions he would experience in the Middle East. He sailed on the Ile de France on the 14th May, arriving in the Middle East and joined the Infantry Special Group. However, Max soon developed parotitis, an inflammation of his saliva gland , which required a short time of hospitalisation.
By August ’42 Max re-joined the 2/48th but two months later was severely wounded in action. Conditions at that time were ever-changing and the fighting continuous. Mongomery had ordered the 9th Battalion to attack northward. October ’42 was to be one of the most devastating times for the Battalion. John Glenn described the time. ‘Preparations for action were so complete that there was nothing to do. Troops found there was little else they could think of but the coming battle. Few spoke but all kept looking at their watches. The darkness was rent by flashes from the mouths of over eight hundred guns. The night exploded as no night before had ever done. The desert burst into flame and shattering sound that shook the earth with its fury. Then came the dreadful whispering of thousands of shells rushing by overhead, the shock of explosion as they smashed into the enemy’s guns, men, tanks and communications… The smell of cordite drifted chokingly through the air, then dust billowed up and blotted out the flashing guns.’ It was under these conditions that Max was wounded.
He sustained wounds to both his legs and chest on the 25th October in the fierce fighting at El Alamein. The right leg was severely affected above his thigh and the left below the knee during the constant fire from artillery and mortars. Glenn later recorded that the 2/48th had ‘stirred up a real hornet’s nest.’ Max was incredibly fortunate to survive both the wounding and the effects of the trauma on his upper leg.
A list of those wounded appeared in the November issue of the Chronicle including those of six others from Max’s Battalion. These were Wounded In Action.— SX10318 Cpt. D. Maxwell-Wright. 2/48th Toorak; SX9353 Lt. W. A. Byrne, 2/48th Spalding; SX7743 Pte. L. J. Loveridge, 2/48th, Wallaroo Mines; SX7198 Pte. K. Spears, 2/48th Henley Beach. Dangerously Wounded. — SX11146 Pte M. T. Carter. 2/48th Ngapala; and SX6880 Pte. F. J. Wooldridge 2/48th.
Max’s injury was so severe, his shattered right leg was amputated through the thigh. Not only was his wound critical, Max also contracted pneumonia and was initially placed on the dangerously ill list where his condition remained in this category until early November ’42. During this time, Max experienced a rare bacterial infection that destroyed both blood cells and soft tissue (gas gangrene) which is often fatal. It was slightly ‘down-graded’ to the seriously ill list at the commencement of March '43 as his wound slowly healed. Finaly in mid-May, Max was removed from all lists, but he was affected by other infections including mumps, chickenpox and Emphysema.
Max finally returned to Australia in February ’43 and after having several months of leave, was discharged in December that year. With the stump of his leg healed, Max was fitted with a prosthesis in June ‘44.
Max worked full time for the PMG as a clerical worker, but enjoyed playing both billiards and snooker and later, lawn bowls. He was part of a research group investigating the occurrence and effect of phantom limb pain. Remarkably, Max’s effects were minimal, and the prosthesis gave him mobility and independence. He was in many ways, an incredibly fortunate man.
Max met Daisy Patricia (Pat) Harris of Glenelg, with the two announcing their engagement in October ’48. Frustratingly, just two months later, Max’s euphoria was dented with the thoughtless act of a thief who stole Max’s camera, worth £10 from his car while it was parked at Glenelg.
Pat and Max lost their much loved son, Andrew Thomas, aged 2 ½ in January ’71. He was survived by four sisters, Jillian, Margaret, Helen and Joanne.
Malcolm, a grade 4 Clerical assistant with the Post Master General, retired from the Public Service in February ’79. In coming years, he again represented Australia, but on a Bowling Green. The World Lawn Bowls' Championship for the Disabled Bowlers of varying degrees of disabilities represented England, Ireland, United States, Japan, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia in the tournament at West Lakes in April ’93. Over 75 bowlers competed in 30 events. Of the 36 strong Australian team, ten were from South Australia; Stan Kosmala, Alf Higgins, Max Carter, Graham Golley, Roy Millowick, Wayne Odgers, George Tucker, Pauline Cahill, Clem Roberts and Frank Cahill.
Aged 83, Max died on the 2nd July 2004 and was buried at Centennial Park Cemetery, General Section AE, Path 5 Grave 333 with his baby son, Andrew. Max is also remembered in the Garden of Remembrance. Daisy lived to be 94 and died on the 29th September 2022.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.