Esme Carter initially enlisted with the Whangarei WWSA as a truck driver, circa 1941. At the time she was living with her mother, Mrs Mabel Burnett Carter, at Station Rd, Kamo, Whangarei. A year later, on 31 August 1942, at the age of 36 she enlisted with the Womens Army Auxiliary Corps and on 8 June 1943 she was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal. The following year, 5 May 1944, Esme Carter was posted overseas. To Noumea where she served for a brief period, 27 June to 8 August 1944, before the Japanese advance resulted in many women leaving this post. Following her return to New Zealand L.Cpl Carter was posted to Papakura (17/8/1944), back to Kamo (9 September 1944), to Army Headquarters in Wellington (21 November 1944) and finally back to Whangarei (3 July 1945), According to the family she also worked in An Auckland ammunition factory for a time. At the time of her discharge on 17 March 1946 (Certificate no 14066) Esme Carter had served for 3 years and 111 days.