Articles by Members

Article by Robert O'Connor QC

RSL YORK SUB-BRANCH

ANZAC DAY CEREMONY, YORK, 25 APRIL 2011

“THE LIFE OF YORK-BORN LAWRENCE DOMINIC McCARTHY VC, C de G

- HEROISM BY NUMBERS: 5, 20, 50, and 700 “

By ROB O’CONNOR QC

A.      Introduction

On this Anzac Day, I want to tell you about a York-born Anzac hero, who is not only that, but also a lot more.

Last Christmas, I visited the York Town Hall and, just inside the entrance, saw an honour board containing the names of all the young men of York who had served our country in World War I. One name listed was “L D McCarthy VC “, of whom I had never heard. I made a few enquiries that day, and no one could tell me anything about him. On returning home, I consulted the book “Bravest: How some of Australia’s greatest war heroes won their medals ”, by Robert Macklin, which merely listed McCarthy as one of the then 96 Australians who had been awarded the Victoria Cross, but did not give any details whatsoever as to what feats he had achieved to deserve a VC.

I therefore decided to research the matter and, in the limited time available, I will inform you of some of what I have learnt about this outstanding man and his valour and gallantry.

I am very pleased to say that when I made contact with the President of the York RSL Sub-branch, Dave Jones, he made me aware that the RSL York Sub-branch has a Lt L D McCarthy VC Club and Bar and that in 2007 an extensive memorial and pavilion in Lt McCarthy’s honour were unveiled at the RSL Club at which military historian Dr Mike Galvin presented a talk on McCarthy. Nevertheless, Dave Jones was agreeable to my suggestion that I present a speech today on McCarthy to help make better-known to York residents the incredible bravery of one of York’s own sons.

 B.   Difficult Early Years at Orphanage and at Employment

McCarthy went by several names. He was born at York on 21 January 1892. His father was named Florence McCarthy and his mother was Ann nee Sherry. At birth, McCarthy was named Florence Joseph McCarthy. He was baptised three days later, on 24 January 1892, at St Patrick’s Catholic Church here in York, only 100 metres from where we are today, under the same names Florence Joseph.

McCarthy was orphaned at the age of three. His mother Ann died at age 28. His father Florence was unable to cope with bringing up his four young sons. The youngest, John Edward (known as Ted), was brought up by Florence’s sister -in-law and brother-in-law, Mildred and Jack Sherry. The three other boys, James, Patrick John and Florence Joseph, were admitted to Subiaco Boys’ Orphanage, run by the Sisters of Mercy, on 21 January 1896 (Florence Joseph’s 4^th birthday). In 1899, when McCarthy was seven, he and his two brothers were transferred to the Christian Brothers at St Joseph’s Orphanage, also at Subiaco.  The Christian Brothers built a new orphanage at Clontarf on the bank of the Canning River in 1901, and all the orphan boys were moved to Clontarf. At some time unknown to me after being admitted to the orphanage in 1896, Florence Joseph’s names were changed to Lawrence Dominic. In some articles, he is named “Dominic “. To his extended family and some friends, he was called “Sykes “. His nicknames in the Army were “Fats “, because of his bulky appearance, and “Mac “.

For the next four years at Clontarf, Lawrence was under the care of Christian Brothers Ryan (the Superior), Bodkin and O’Connor. Lawrence was grateful throughout his life for the kindness, education, manual skills, toughness and upbringing he received from the Christian Brothers at Clontarf. He described the Irish Brother Bodkin as a saint. However, it must be the case that on occasions there were times that were unpleasant and unhappy. On a return visit to Clontarf later in his life, Lawrence was asked by a Christian Brother “You must be pleased to see over these buildings again? ” Lawrence replied “Yes I am, but I must say that if, when I die, there is a Hell for me, then there will be a Hell for some of the Brothers who were here too ! “.

I am led to believe that Lawrence’s father had no contact with Lawrence after Lawrence’s admission to the orphanage.

The death certificates of Lawrence’s parents Ann and Florence reveal the following interesting facts –

ANN:

Date and place of death: 17 January 1896 at York. Just four days later, three of her four sons were admitted to the orphanage.

She died of pertussis (whooping cough) and tuberculosis, which she had for four months, the doctor last seeing her on the day before she died.

Her parents were Peter Sherry and Mary nee Morgan

Her death was registered on the day she died, and she was buried that very day in the Catholic section of the York cemetery, but without the presence of a priest.

She had been born in York and lived in WA all her 28 years.

She had married Florence at York at age 20.

Youngest son John Edward was aged one when his mother Ann died.

FLORENCE:

Date of death: 22 July 1918, which is 22 years after the death of Ann, and a month before McCarthy won his Victoria Cross at Madame Wood.

Place of death: Hospital for Insane, Claremont, which is no doubt the former Claremont Mental Hospital, known as the Lunatic Asylum. At this stage, I know nothing further about this.

His occupation was stated to be Station Hand,

His age was “about 65 years “, which is obviously only an estimate. If accurate, this would have made him 43 when Ann died at 28.

The causes of death were arteriosclerosis and exhaustion.

His parents were Patrick McCarthy and Mary nee Moloney, Patrick being a farm labourer.

He was buried two days after his death, in the Catholic section of Karrakatta cemetery by a Catholic priest.

He had been born at Cork, Ireland, and was stated to have come to WA 23 years earlier which would be 1895, which is incorrect.

The ages stated for his two elder sons James “20”and Patrick “19”were incorrect, the names of Lawrence and John Edward were omitted, and two other names (Daniel or David 17, and Mary 15) were included. The particulars were provided to the Register by the undertaker who obviously was relying on details given by others who probably were not well-informed. Although it is theoretically possible that Florence fathered two further children subsequent to Ann’s death, I speculate that it is more likely that in his final years Florence’s mental condition was such that his memory was very poor, resulting in his forgetting the names of Lawrence and John Edward and in his mind creating another boy and a girl.

 Lawrence left Clontarf on 30 November 1905, at age 13 years 10 months; he was apprenticed for four years at a farm at Jennacubbine near Northam. He was later a contractor for two years at a sawmill with Bunning Bros at Lion Mill (now Mt Helena) cutting sleepers for the Western Australian Railways. Three fingers on his left hand were severed in a mill accident. At Lion Mill he lived with his brother Patrick and Patrick’s wife Amy (nee Linto).

Prior to enlisting in the Australian Infantry Forces, Lawrence spent 2 ½ years with the 18th Australian Light Horse.

Lawrence was rejected when he first tried to enlist with the AIF, because of his three missing figures. However, when he was able to establish that he had won shooting competitions at the Northam Rifle Club, he was accepted for enlistment on 23 September 1914 at the age of 22 years 8 months and signed the Enlistment Oath on 16 October 1914. Interesting details shown on his enlistment form include that he was 5’ 7” tall, weighed 13 stone, had a chest measurement of 40/42 “, and he had no next of kin. In the distinctive marks section, no mention was made of his missing fingers.

Lawrence did his training at Blackboy Hill, Helena Vale, which is now the site of Greenmount Primary School.

B.     Early Army Career

He sailed from Fremantle on the Indarra on 21 November 1914 as a member of the 16^th Battalion, and went to Broadmeadows, Victoria for further training. He sailed from Melbourne in the Ceramic on 22 December 1914, and left Albany on 31 December 1914 en route to Egypt.

He landed at Gallipoli at about 4 pm on Anzac Day itself, 25 April 1915, 96 years ago today, remained fighting on the peninsula until he was wounded in September, and was evacuated back to England for convalescence. He returned to Gallipoli in November and was among the last in his battalion to leave Gallipoli on 20 December 1915. Apart from his absence on convalescence, he was at Gallipoli from the very start to the very finish.

C.      Bravery Decorations - Croix de Guerre and Victoria Cross

By June 1916 the 16^th Battalion were in France, and in August they were fighting at Pozieres and Mouquet Farm. McCarthy became a second lieutenant on 1 April 1917, and the day after receiving that commission he was wounded in the first attack on Bullecourt and evacuated to England, where he spent three months in hospital, rejoining his battalion on 9 July 1917.

On 3 November 1917, at Beaumetz, McCarthy won the Croix de Guerre, the top French bravery award, and it was Avec Palme (“with palm “). Unfortunately, the citation for the Croix de Guerre is not recorded on McCarthy’s service record, and specific details of his brave exploits at Beaumetz are therefore not fully known. For part of the citation see: Ian Gill, Bloody Angle Bullecourt & Beyond at page 249. This Croix de Guerre Avec Palme is held by the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.

214 Croix de Guerre medals were awarded to AIF soldiers during World War I, and only two of them were awarded Avec Palme.

From February to August 1918 McCarthy was an instructor for Australian soldiers at Tidworth, England, and then rejoined the 16^th Battalion in France for the offensive which began on 8 August 1918.

Two weeks later, on 23 August 1918, McCarthy performed his courageous feats for which he was awarded the very highest award for valour, the Victoria Cross. After an hour’s bombing by his 16^th Battalion troops near MADAME WOOD, near VERMANDOVILLERS, where the battalion was heavily opposed by well-posted machine guns, there was a pause in the action. As company commander, McCarthy checked to see what was wrong. When told that the bomb supply of two companies was nearly spent, McCarthy said that there was only one thing to do – to charge the obstacle.  The following detailed version of what McCarthy did is taken from the report signed by Sir John Monash, General Commanding Australian Corps.

Lt Lawrence Dominic McCarthy “is expressly brought to notice for his wonderful gallantry, initiative and leadership on the morning of the 23^rd August 1918, when an attack was being made near MADAME WOOD, West of VERMANDOVILLERS N of CHAULENS. The objective of this Battalion was obtained without serious opposition. The Battalion on the left flank were less fortunate. Here several well-posted Machine Gun posts were holding up the attack and heavy fire was being brought to bear on our left flank. When Lieut. McCARTHY realised the situation he at once engaged the nearest Machine Gun post, but still the attacking troops failed to get forward. This officer then determined to attack the nearest post. Leaving his men to continue the fire fight, he, with two others, dashed across the area and dropped into a disused trench which had been blocked. One of his two men was killed whilst doing this. He was now right under the block over which the enemy Machine Gun was firing. The presence of head cover prevented the use of bombs. He therefore tunnelled a hole through the bottom of the block, through which he inserted his head and one arm. He at once shot dead the two men firing the gun. He then crawled through the hole he had made, and by himself charged down the trench.

He threw his limited number of Mills bombs among the German garrison and inflicted some more casualties. He then came in contact with two German officers who fired on him with their revolvers. One of those he shot dead with his revolver, the other he seriously wounded.

He then charged down the trench using his revolver and throwing enemy stick bombs and captured three more enemy machine guns. At this stage, some 700 yards from his starting point, he was joined by the NCO whom he had out-distanced when he crawled through the hole in the trench block mentioned above. Together they continued to bomb up the trench, until touch was established with Lancashire Fusiliers, and in the meantime yet another Machine Gun had been captured. A total of 5 Machine Guns and 50 prisoners (37 unwounded and 13 wounded) was captured, whilst Lieut. McCARTHY during his amazing and most daring feat had single handed killed 20 of the enemy.

Having cleared up a dangerous situation, he proceeded to establish a garrison in the line. Whilst doing this he saw a number of the enemy getting away from neighbouring trenches. He at once seized a Lewis Gun and inflicted further casualties on the enemy.

The determined and daring conduct of this gallant officer saved a critical situation, prevented many casualties, and was mainly, if not entirely, responsible for the final objective being taken. “

Remarkably, as McCarthy led his captured enemy away, they took his bombs and his revolver off him and patted him on his back in admiration, and, at his own suggestion, they carried him back to his Australian lines on their shoulders, as he led them back. McCarthy explained this to an Army padre, Father O’Callahan of the 4^th Battalion, who on 13 December 1918 wrote to Brother Bodkin of Clontarf Orphanage, as follows (as published in The Swan Express on 21 March 1919) -

“Then the funny part came. The enemy closed in on the audacious Australian and took the bombs from him and prevented him from further slaughter. If they only knew he was their prisoner!  He kept shouting to his imaginary Force to come up. He disarmed them all and had them so meek as lambs by the time some of the Battalion had come up.Then the Huns must have felt fooled. They had held the ground against the English (Lancashire) Fusiliers, and one solitary Australian was responsible for 100 prisoners and casualties. Lieut. McCarthy has got his VC and I don’t believe it was ever so well earned since its history began. … I have never heard of such reckless courage and such amazing results before, even in the AIF.”

Thus, when their company commander and an officer were killed by McCarthy, the Germans, being without a leader, had allowed themselves to become the prisoners of McCarthy.

Speaking to People magazine in 1951, McCarthy said that the 50 prisoners captured “is a purely arbitrary estimation “. When the German soldiers “lined up with their hands in the air, McCarthy counted 110 of them. “.

Captain Aarons, whose company was fighting with McCarthy’s, wrote “I have never heard of anything so remarkable “.

Charles Bean, the official Australian war historian, writing in Volume VI of The Official History of Australia in the War of 1914-1918, described McCarthy’s feats as “an achievement which, next to that of Lieut.[Albert ] Jacka at Pozieres, was perhaps the most effective feat of individual fighting in the history of the AIF “.

McCarthy’s Victoria Cross award was approved by King George V and presented to him by the King at Buckingham Palace.

McCarthy’s Victoria Cross was described within his battalion and parts of the British press as “the Super - VC “.

McCarthy’s typical style of courageous and brave fighting can be gauged by the later (5 March 1920 at Lion Mill) comments of his colleague Lt Ryan who said that “he did not see McCarthy win the VC he got, but he saw him win a dozen others he did not get “.

What is not generally realised is that, in addition to his Victoria Cross, McCarthy was also awarded a Croix de Guerre for these brave deeds at Madame Wood.That is, he won two Croix de Guerre, this one at Madame not being Avec Palme. This Croix de Guerre is not recorded on McCarthy’s service record. As I will explain later, Dr Ross Bastiaan of Melbourne was a family friend of McCarthy and a sort of “adopted grandson “and is a leading war historian and authority. McCarthy gifted this second Croix de Guerre to Dr Bastiaan. Dr Bastiaan erected a plaque at the Vermandovillers Town Hall on the 75^th anniversary of McCarthy’s heroic deeds at Madame Wood which, in part, states “For this conspicuous bravery, initiative and leadership, (McCarthy) was awarded the Victoria Cross and the Croix de Guerre “. Note “this “and “and the Croix de Guerre “.

An evaluation of McCarthy’s gallant and brave fighting qualities can be gained from a realisation of the following. For his deeds at Madame Wood near Vermandovillers, McCarthy was awarded a Victoria Cross which has been described as “the Super-VC “and “as perhaps the most effective fighting in the history of the AIF “. Yet the Croix de Guerre he received for this was without Avec Palme. How great his efforts and achievements must have been at Beaumetz on 3 November 1917 when he won his first Croix de Guerre with Avec Palme when it is the case that, of 214 Croix de Guerre won by the AIF in World War I, only two were Avec Palme, and McCarthy’s at Beaumetz  was one of them !!

Ten days after the War ended (ie. on 21 November 1918), he was evacuated with influenza to England. He rejoined the 16^th Battalion on 7 January 1919.

On 25 January 1919 McCarthy married Florence Minnie Norville, known as Polly, of Weston-super-Mare, in Somerset, in England. Polly was a housemaid in a hotel whom he had met on an earlier period of leave in England. In 1919 McCarthy had 75 days furlough in England, and for an extended period in that year he held a position as an area officer in Ireland with Australian soldiers who were in Ireland.

E.      Back in Western Australia

McCarthy arrived back in Western Australia on 29 January 1920 on the SS Runic as the ship’s adjutant, and Polly arrived in Western Australia a month later on 28 February 1920.

The Swan Express newspaper of 30 January 1920 reported on the day after McCarthy landed back in Western Australia: “Lt McCarthy is suffering from the strain as a result of his war experiences. His old colleagues at Lion Mill hope this will not interfere with his famous laugh.”

The newspaper reported on 20 February 1920 that McCarthy had been admitted to Base Hospital at Fremantle.

 F.      Life and Death in Melbourne

In 1926 McCarthy and Polly moved to Melbourne where McCarthy worked as a commercial traveller for Sunshine Harvester Works, mostly in the Mallee. In 1934 he lost that job due to the Depression. He had trouble gaining further employment. After a series of odd-jobs, from 1935 he worked for 34 years with Trustees, Executors & Agents Co; he was described as the building superintendent, but he was really a caretaker for the building. He and his wife made morning teas for the staff and clients, and lived in a flat on the roof of the company’s building at 401 Collins Street, where they also had a small rooftop garden.

McCarthy attended a dinner for all Victoria Cross winners hosted by the notorious John Wren. He travelled to London in 1956 for the celebrations marking the centenary of the introduction of the Victoria Cross. He also returned to Gallipoli in 1965 to mark the 50^th anniversary of that battle.

McCarthy and Polly had only one child, a son, named Lawrence Norville McCarthy, who most unfortunately was killed on 20 May 1945, a fortnight before the end of World War II, while on active service in Bouganville.

There is a touch of romanticism in the next part of the McCarthy story. At the time of his death, Lawrence junior was engaged to Nancy, who some years later married Jan Bastiaan. In January 1951, Nancy and Jan’s son Ross was born, and became like a grandson to McCarthy. Ross called him “Uncle Dom “. McCarthy took a close interest in young Ross, they met every few weeks, McCarthy helped finance Ross’s education at Wesley College, Melbourne (where Lawrence junior had been educated), and McCarthy assisted Ross in other ways. McCarthy accompanied Nancy to Wesley College when they wanted to have Ross enrolled at Wesley, and they were successful in persuading the Headmaster Dr Coates to admit Ross as a new student at Wesley. McCarthy inspired a great interest in military history in Ross who has been Deputy Chairman of the Australian War Memorial, Canberra since 2003, was Guide for Prime Minister John Howard on his trip to Gallipoli and the Somme in 2000, and Guide to the Victorian Premier on his trip to Japan and Singapore in 2006. He has published Guide to the Gallipoli Battlefields. He has been honoured with a Member of the Order of Australia award for installing commemorative plaques containing sculptures, created by himself, at over 200 sites around the world where Australian troops have fought.

McCarthy dropped his Catholic religion after the death of Lawrence junior. Thereafter he attended The Independent Church, Collins Street, Melbourne.

After his retirement in 1969 at age 77, McCarthy and his wife lived in a small semi-detached house in suburban Melbourne at Mont Albert.

After three weeks hospitalisation, McCarthy died on 25 May 1975, aged 83, at Repatriation General Hospital, Heidelberg, Melbourne. His funeral was held at the Anglican Wycliff Church, Surrey Hills, Melbourne, and he was cremated at Springvale Crematorium, with full military honours.

The Lawrence McCarthy Ward at Hollywood Private Hospital, Nedlands, Western Australia, and a street in Canberra have been named in his honour, His Victoria Cross medal is on display at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, which also holds his portrait by Charles Wheeler

His widow Polly died in about 1995 aged about 103.

G.     Need for Greater Recognition

McCarthy VC was a true hero and a true legend. I am pleased to see a plaque in honour of McCarthy installed here at the York War Memorial. Dr Mike Galvin, Steve Clitheroe former RSL President , and Dave Wood former RSL Secretary are to be applauded for what they have done at the RSL Club site: the Lt LD McCarthy VC Club has been incorporated, there is a wall display featuring a portrait of McCarthy painted in oils by a Chinese artist (based on the portrait by Charles Wheeler) which was commissioned and framed at the expense of Dr Galvin, a set of replicas of McCarthy’s medals was paid for and provided by Dr Galvin, who also provided a framed copy of McCarthy’s commission as an officer, a framed photo of McCarthy, and the citation giving an account of his deeds which earned McCarthy his VC. In addition, there is a McCarthy pavilion at the RSL Club and a plaque installed in honour of McCarthy.

However, with due respect, I would like to see greater prominence given to McCarthy and his very brave deeds, so that the legend and his fame become more widely known in York beyond the RSL Club, and throughout Western Australia generally. Schoolchildren in York could be taught, and learn, about McCarthy. For example, the RSL, the Shire of York or the York Society could conduct a leadership award in McCarthy’s name, or an essay competition in his name on a theme associated with McCarthy and/or Anzac Day, with a prize of (say) $300, perhaps with the financial assistance of a York business sponsor. 

There is a McCarthy Place in York; it runs off Newcastle Street on the other side of the Avon River. Whether it was named after Lawrence, I do not know. Why not re-name a more important street in York after him? It would not be necessary to go as far as re-naming Avon Terrace, but, eg., this street here, which runs up to the War Memorial where there is a McCarthy plaque and which goes past St Patrick’s Church where McCarthy was baptised, carries the innocuous name “South Street “; why not re-name the part of South Street this side of Avon Terrace

”Lawrence McCarthy VC Drive “?  Perhaps the Shire could set up a McCarthy VC Committee to consider ways to promote and honour the memory of McCarthy VC.

For tourism purposes, York is advertised as “WA’s most historic inland town “. Why cannot it also be described as “the birthplace of Lawrence Dominic McCarthy, Super-VC Winner “? Two booklets which I very recently obtained from the York Tourist Centre at the Town Hall, “York Heritage Walk Trails “(42 pages) and “York – WA’s First Inland Town “(20 pages), do not mention McCarthy and his memorials at the War Memorial or the RSL Club. Copies of his life history should be available at York Tourist Centre and the RSL Club.  I am happy to make my written Paper available for this purpose.

Now for some exciting news. A few days ago Dr Ross Bastiaan told me that, to acknowledge York as the birthplace of McCarthy, he is happy to make, for display in York, a plaque containing a sculpture of McCarthy jumping into the German trench during his VC-winning deeds. It will be a decision by the Shire of York whether to accept this offer and as to where the plaque containing the sculpture should be located. My preference would be for it to be affixed to the exterior wall of the York Town Hall where it could be seen by most visitors to York. It would add to the promotion of McCarthy’s name if Dr Bastiaan could be persuaded to come to York to unveil his plaque containing the sculpture. It could be a grand occasion.

I urge you never to forget the name Lawrence Dominic McCarthy VC, and never to forget the numbers 5, 20, 50, and 700:  5 machine guns, 20 killed 50 prisoners and 700 yards of enemy trench.  I ask all of you here today to be agents for making more widely-known the heroic actions of McCarthy. If you wish to have a copy of my talk today, I have a supply here of a more detailed written Paper and would be very happy to give you a copy.

My thanks to the RSL York Sub-branch for giving me this opportunity to speak to you today, and my thanks to you for your kind attention.

I also sincerely thank Dr Ross Bastiaan and Dr Mike Galvin for the constructive and very helpful comments on a draft of this Paper.

 Lest we forget.

Sources, References and Further Reading