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Son of William and Isabella Carmichael, late of Innellan, Pietermaritzburg, Natal, South Africa. Was a Lance Corporal in the South African Infantry and was killed while serving with them, after being gazetted, but before joining the 1st/8th Bn. of the Sherwood Foresters. Born Pietermaritzburg, Natal, South Africa. On Maritzburg College cenotaph. Educated at Maritzburg College, Hilton College, Natal and at Oundle School, England. He was in Sidney House from 1901 until 1904. He played as a forward in the Rugby XV in his last term and won the 100 yards sprint on Sports Day. He returned to Natal after Oundle, planning to find a profession in the law like his late father. However, the lure of the outdoors life drew him into ostrich farming instead. At the outbreak of war, he joined Botha's Natal Horse and did scout work in the campaign against German South-West Africa (now Namibia) which saw the Germans expelled from the country in 1915. At the end of that year, he returned to England with the South African Contingent. By March 1916, he was in Egypt, but transferred to France in May 1916, as part of the preparations for the Battle of the Somme. He was clearly a useful soldier. His Sergeant-Major wrote of his courage in carrying out one particularly hazardous mission. "I picked him to go to the rear to bring up a relief. To do this he had to make his way through the wood under terrific shell-fire and guide the relieving troops back in the dark. He carried out his duty without a hitch; the slightest mistake on his part might have meant disaster for those under his care." |
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