Robert McCarter

RETIRED Army Major Robert McCarter, who continued teaching fencing at North Yorkshire's schools despite being gravely ill with cancer, has died at the age of 85.

Major McCarter had been a well-known figure on the sports circuit of schools in the county after he started teaching fencing in 1979, and continued with the classes until earlier this year despite suffering from prostate cancer.

His widow, Gladys McCarter, said her husband had kept in contact with many of the students he taught, even ex-pupils from as far away as Hong Kong.

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Many students had come to visit him during his final weeks at St Leonard's Hospice, York, where he died on May 18.

Major McCarter's teaching career saw him stage classes at Ampleforth College and Catterick Garrison, as well as the Minster School, St Peter's School and St Olave's School in York. He also held classes at Bootham School in York and Queen Margaret's School at Escrick.

He had been a tank commander during the Second World War and landed at Normandy only days after D-Day, and his unit then fought their way across Europe to Berlin.

Major McCarter became an Army instructor after the war, and his love of fencing started in 1948 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, where he was based.

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His last posting was at Imphal Barracks in York, after which he had settled in the city with his wife. The couple, who celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary last year, had three children.

A celebration of Major McCarter's life is being planned at the Marriott Hotel, in Tadcaster Road, at 1.45pm on Tuesday. His funeral service will be held earlier on the same day at 12.30pm at York's crematorium.

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