TOPIC:

In York Minster.




....Volunteer readers will see with great regret that Captain Marter has died of his wounds. He was the son of Major-General Marter, of Epping, and was born January, 1868. He entered the Royal Fusiliers in 1889, became lieutenant 1891, was transferred to the 1st (King's) Dragoon Guards in 1892, and was made captain in 1896. In that year he served on the Brigadier's staff at Great Yarmouth, and proved himself to be a hard-working soldier, and professionally very much in earnest. He married a short time ago, an on the outbreak of the war was on General Thynne's staff at York.
Derby Mercury, Wednesday 11th April 1900


Leeds Times, Saturday 14th April 1900

BLOEMFONTEIN, on the 3rd inst., of wounds received at the battle of Karee, aged 32, William Maurice Marter, Captain King's Dragoon Guards, Brigade-Major 14th Brigade, 7th Division, only surviving son of Major-General Marter, late King's Dragoon Guards, of Walton, Epping.
Newcastle Courant, Saturday 14th April 1900

Extract from a letter sent by Sergeant A. Ogden, of A Company, 2nd Lincolnshire Regiment, writing to his relatives at Parkgate, near Rawmarsh, South Yorkshire, dated Dale's Drift, April 4th: - "We got shifted in a hurry from the capital, marched 17 miles, encamped at Glen Drift, moved next morning towards Boshof, but met the enemy at Karee Sidings, the engagement lasted five hours. The Lincolns were on the right, the Kents, Norfolks, and King's Own on our immediate left, with the Fifteenth Brigade on their extreme left. The enemy appeared in force on a kopje about 1½ miles from the railway station, where there is a good supply of water, and their intention was to prevent us from obtaining that position, but we managed to get there just in time to prevent them using a siege train with which they were going to shell Glen. They got their siege train away leaving only one gun. Their crack shots had taken up a very good position, and if we had attacked them we should have been decimated. We took up the Boer tactics, and fired whenever we saw a Boer's head above a rock. Our regiment was very lucky in securing a hill scattered with boulders, which we used to good advantage. The other regiments had a more exposed position and fewer boulders to protect them, and they suffered severely. We lost two killed and nine wounded in our division, and altogether in killed and wounded over 200, whilst the Boers loss amounted to over 500 killed and wounded. Captain Marter, our brigade major, was shot in the stomach within two paces from where I was firing my hardest. He and General Chermside had just been talking to me and another man about watching our right carefully when he fell with a groan. I had no time to hear what he said as the bullets hit the rock where I was sheltered. I kept quiet for a few seconds and then commenced to use my magazine on the retiring Boers, who had been dislofged by a couple of our guns......"
Sheffield Independent, Wednesday 2nd May 1900

KAREE SIDING CEMETERY

William's life and death are well covered in these posts.

Just to add Dooner's information:

He died April 3rd, 1900, of wounds received in action on March 29th, at Karee Siding, near Brandfort. He was the son of Major General Marter, King's Dragoon Guards, of Walton, Epping, formerly ADC to Her Late Majesty Queen Victoria. Captain Marter was born January 1868, and educated at Clifton College, whence he passed into the Royal Military College. In 1886 he passed out with honours, and entered the Royal Fusiliers in February 1887, being promoted Lieutenant February 1891. He was transferred to the 1st Dragoon Guards in April 1892, and promoted Captain March 1896. Captain Marter had served in Egypt and India and passed the higher standard in Hindustani and Persian. He was appointed DAAG, North-Eastern District, March 1897, which post he held till December 1899, when he proceeded to South Africa as Brigade Major, 14th Brigade. He took part in the advance on Bloemfontein, through Jacobsdal and Paardeberg afterwards moving along the railway to Karree. He was buried in the cemetery there beside his school friend, Captain Going. Captain Marter married 1897, Mary Edith, third daughter of Colonel Cuming, formerly of the Cameron Highlanders, of Crover, Cavan. Her Majesty Queen Victoria, sent a message of condolence on Captain Marter's death being reported and asked for his photograph.

He's also named on the Clifton College, Bristol, ABW memorial.

www.roll-of-honour.com/Gloucestershire/C...nCollegeBoerWar.html

Manchester Cathedral