A member of the same battalion as John Colley, Carlton died several months before John although their deaths are closely linked.  He belonged to the 7^th Green Howards, who at the time of his death were embroiled in the bitter struggle for the region of Tobruk against Rommel’s Afrika Korps.  Although the Allies eventually came out on top, their casualties were severe and it was during this time that Carlton was killed in battle.  His fate might not have been much better had he survived though, as many of the 7^th Green Howards were captured just weeks later and made prisoners of war in Italy; such was the fate of John Colley.  Between the 5^th and 7^th of June 6,000 Allied soldiers lost their lives trying to halt the Axis advance, and 15 soldiers of the 7^th Green Howards lost their lives on the same day as Carlton, including fellow Filey man Joseph Jefferson.

          Although he had grown up in Filey, Carlton had married a girl from Nottinghamshire, and the couple had moved to Worksop shortly afterwards.  However, he did return to his native Scarborough in order to sign up after the outbreak of war.