Eric Carter
Born(1920-02-12)12 February 1920
Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England
Died26 July 2021(2021-07-26) (aged 101)
Birmingham, West Midlands, England
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service Royal Air Force
Years of service1939–1946
RankWarrant officer

Eric Carter (12 February 1920 – 26 July 2021) was a British Royal Air Force pilot.

Early life

Eric Carter was born on 12 February 1920 near Bromsgrove in Worcestershire, England.[1]

World War II

Carter joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1939. He said he joined "because the Germans were committing such horrible atrocities".[2] Carter was posted to No. 615 Squadron.[3]

Carter left the RAF in 1946.[4]

Carter was one of only four non-Russians to receive the Order of Lenin, the Soviet Union's highest military honour.[5] In March 2013, Carter was awarded the Arctic Star for his efforts during the war.[6] In September 2014, he was awarded the Medal of Ushakov by the Russian government.[7]

Post-War

In 2012, Carter launched a fundraising campaign to finance the restoration of a Supermarine Spitfire donated to Stoke-on-Trent in 1969.[8]

Carter died at a retirement home in Birmingham, West Midlands, on 26 July 2021.[9]

Personal life

Eric married Phyllis Carter in 1943.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Eric Carter obituary". The Times. 3 August 2021. Archived from the original on 3 August 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  2. ↑ "World War II pilot from Halesowen, 101, dies". BBC News. 3 August 2021. Archived from the original on 3 August 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  3. ↑ Carter, Eric (20 August 2010). "A Worcestershire veteran's Battle of Britain memories". BBC News. Archived from the original on 3 August 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  4. 1 2 "Warrant Officer Eric Carter, Hurricane pilot decorated for his role in helping to defend Murmansk – obituary". The Daily Telegraph. 2 August 2021. Archived from the original on 2 August 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  5. ↑ "Stalin's forgotten British lifesavers". Birmingham Mail. 24 June 2009. Archived from the original on 3 August 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  6. ↑ "Medal honour for hero RAF pilot after secret World War II mission to protect Russian port". Birmingham Mail. 18 March 2013. Archived from the original on 3 August 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  7. ↑ "Russian bravery medal for Eric - after 73 years". Kidderminster Shuttle. 5 September 2014. Archived from the original on 3 August 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  8. ↑ "Worcestershire Spitfire pilot launches fighter fund". BBC News. 19 February 2012. Archived from the original on 4 February 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  9. ↑ Bannerman, Lucy (29 July 2021). "Eric Carter, last veteran of secret RAF mission to save Stalin, dies at 101". The Times. Archived from the original on 29 July 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
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