Obituary: Charles Carter

By PHOEBE FALCONER

War hero and journalist. Died aged 87.

Charles Carter, who died last month in Auckland, aged 87, was awarded a Distinguished Conduct Medal in World War II for "displaying good leadership and a splendid fighting example to his men" in action in Egypt.

His diary contains a rather more humble report of the activities on that day in July, 1942: "A busy day - got the DCM for my part."

On the night of July 9, Sergeant Carter and his patrol attacked an enemy gun emplacement with grenades, killing the crew.

He then led his men against an Italian stronghold using light machineguns and grenades, and overran the position.

Carter joined up in 1939 and was posted overseas in 1940. He served with the 21st and 24th battalions in Greece, Crete, the Middle East and North Africa, and was commissioned in 1943.

Carter was shipped home with hepatitis in 1944. When he applied to return to active service it was discovered that he was blind in one eye and should never have gone to war in the first place.

After his discharge, he returned to his profession as a journalist, and joined the Herald as a reporter in the late 1940s.

In those days the Carter family did not have a telephone, so Mrs Carter was advised by telegram when Charlie was being sent out of town to cover a story. Unfortunately, the telegram would not arrive until the day after he had left.

Carter spent more than 30 years as a subeditor at the Herald and was the New Zealand Press Association correspondent for a large number of those years.

His daughter, Lynette, describes his journalistic drive as stemming from a desire to make people aware of what was happening, not only around them, but throughout the world.

Even during his last days when he was in hospital, he had his transistor radio glued to his ear to catch the latest news reports.

Charlie Carter is survived by his wife of 58 years, Joyce, sons Ian and Keith, and daughter Lynette.