CARLING, William Thomas

War
1st World War
Date of Birth
Date Attested
Attested at
Toronto, Ontario
Regimental Number
800058
Rank
Private
Date of Death
Age at Death
23 years 8 months
Cenotaph
Biographical Summary

DIVISIONAL UNIT:         2nd Canadian Infantry Division,
                                             4th Infantry Brigade
                                             19th Battalion - Central Ontario
                                             Canadian Infantry Corps
SERVICE NO:                   800058
RESIDENCE:                     Toronto – Ontario.
DATE OF BIRTH:            December 9, 1894
                                             Clinton – Goderich Township – County of Huron - Ontario
DATE OF DEATH:           August 29, 1918                   23 years     8 months
CEMETERY:                     Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension – Aubigny-en-Artois –
                                             Pas de Calais - France
                                             IV     G     15
WIFE:                                 Mrs. Margaret Carling – Toronto - Ontario
Occupation:                        Movie Operator                    Religion:     Presbyterian
Enlistment:      Toronto – Ontario – February 3, 1916
Enlistment Age:    21years     2 months

Private Carling arrived in England on the S. S. Scotian on August 19, 1916 and while he was Witley Camp - Surrey he was taken on strength by the 19th Battalion in May of 1917.  However, from the time he arrived in France with his unit in June 1917 he was hospitalized five times for illnesses of unknown origin.
The 2nd Division was positioned south of the Arras-Cambrai Road and as they advanced they found themselves blocked by enemy barbed wire and extreme fire from enemy fire coming from Upton Wood and Ocean Works. The advance was minimal with losses being extreme.
Private Carling was wounded in the face and legs on August 28th and was taken to No. 42 British Casualty Clearing Station – at either Licheux or Mingoval. During the day we was then transferred to No. 8 Stationary Hospital based in Wimereux and this is where Private Carling died from his wounds. The Battalion was to continue their advance to the Fresnoy-Rouvroy line with the objective being the Drocourt-Queant line. They were tired and not fully equipped from the previous two days and as they advanced they found that the artillery had not dealt with the enemy opposition sufficiently in Olive Trench, Ocean House and the opposite ridge. The advance slowed as all of these had strong rings of wire in and around them. Due to heavy enemy opposition the whole front was finding it difficult to advance with tremendous casualties being taken, with positions being held for some period of time but later had to withdraw to a sunken road.
In the evening the enemy artillery was very heavy with gas shells on the River Sensee. The Battalion was so badly mangled they asked for a received support from two Companies of the 31st Battalion.  There was no further advance as they were being relieved.
It was during this advance when Private Carling was seriously wounded and with such serious wounds he could not survive past the following day.