Biography:
John Carrick was born 4 June 1896, the son of John Carrick of South Lodge, Troon. His widowed mother was Eveline Carrick of Warren Hills Cottage, Meads, Eastbourne. His elder brother was Robert Black Carrick (F 1906-1910).
He came to Winchester College from Mr. Buckland's school at Laleham in September 1910 and was in F House, Hawkins'. The Wykehamist (No 567, October 1917) descibed him thus: 'Though he did not gain distinctions in the School, he won the sincere affection of those who knew him. He was a manly fellow, putting any amount of keenness and grit into his football, very modest about himself, and entirely unselfish and true: and his friends cherished his memory long after he left School at the early age of seventeen...'
John left Winchester at the end of 1913 to prepare himself for a business career, and spent some months in Germany. At the outbreak of war he enlisted, and shortly afterwards received a commission in the 6th Battalion Cameron Highlanders. He went to France in July 1915, and served successively as machine-gun officer and Adjutant to his battalion, being once mentioned in Despatches. He was in action at the Battle of Loos and was part of the attack made on Hill 70, which saw the death of Lieutenant Kenneth Gordon Campbell (B 1908-1914; 12th Highland Light Infantry - see individual entry).
Carrick was promoted to Lieutenant with effect from 1 June 1916 and he fell during fighting near Frezenberg Spur, near Ypres on 31 July 1917. The British attacked along the whole front of the Ypres Salient, using a new technique called the 'creeping barrage' where the German trenches were kept under fire whilst the attacking forces advanced across No Man's Land. The German first line was taken easily but the British then met a resistence which halted them. The Germans also had specially trained counter-attack units, some of which threw the attackers back that afternoon although with the help of tanks they managed to continue their advance. Hill 37, a dominant feature of the Frezenberg Spur was eventually taken, along with 150 prisoners.
Carrick was one of the battalion's casualties that day. He is commemorated on the War Memorial at the Royal Troon Golf Club and also on his father's gravestone in Troon cemetery.