| MILI |
Record Details for Lawrence McCarthy (Machine Gun Corps)
First Name: Lawrence
Surname: McCarthy
Rank: Private
Service Number: 136633
Regiment: Machine Gun Corps
Archive Reference: WO 372/12/190405
(Can be found at The National Archives in Kew, and contains First World War, War Office: Service Medal and Award Rolls Index)
Collection:
Nominal index of all service personnel serving in a theatre of war 1914-1919
Record Details for Lawrence McCarthy (Machine Gun Corps)
First Name: Lawrence
Initials: L
Surname: McCarthy
DOB: Circa 1899
Age: 19
Birth Town: St. Ann's, Cork
Resided Town: Cork
Nationality: British
Date of Death: 16/10/1918
Fate: Died of Wounds
Information: Parents: John and Kate McCarthy, of 20, Step Lane, Shandon St., Cork.
Rank: Private
Service Number: 136633
Duty Location: France And Flanders
Service: British Army
Regiment: Machine Gun Corps
Battalion: 49th Battalion (Why is this important?)
Collections: Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914-1919
The IWGC/CWGC Registers Collection
Campaign Medals:
British War Medal
With the information in Lawrence McCarthy's record, it is likely that they were entitled to the British War Medal for service in World War One. This British Empire campaign medal was issued for services between 5th August 1914 and 11th November 1918.
The medal was automatically awarded in the event of death on active service before the completion of this period.
Memorial Death Plaque Of WWI
The next of kin for Lawrence McCarthy would have been sent this death plaque after the war to commemorate all of the war dead. Over 1 million were issued in total.
Victory Medal
With the information in Lawrence McCarthy's record, it is likely that they were entitled to the Victory medal, also called the Inter Allied Victory Medal. This medal was awarded to all who received the 1914 Star or 1914-15 Star and, with certain exceptions, to those who received the British War Medal. It was never awarded alone. These three medals were sometimes irreverently referred to as Pip, Squeak and Wilfred.
Eligibility for this award consisted of having been mobilised, fighting, having served in any of the theatres of operations, or at sea, between midnight 4th/5th August, 1914, and midnight, 11th/12th November, 1918. Women who served in any of the various military organisations in a theatre of operations were also eligible.
* Medal entitlement listed above is worked out using the same methodology the MOD used for issuing them
CWGC Record
Name - Lawrence McCarthy
Rank - Private
Service Number - 136633
Date of Death - 16/10/1918
Age - 19
Regiment/Service - Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
Service Country - United Kingdom
Grave Memorial Reference - IV. G. 13.
Cemetery. Memorial Name - Bucquoy Road Cemetery, Ficheux
UK, Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects, 1901-1929
Name: Lawrence McCarthy
Gender: Male
Death Date 16 Oct 1918
Death Place: France
Rank: Private
Regiment: Machine Gun Corps
Regimental Number: 136633
UK, Army Registers of Soldier's Effects, 1901-1929
Record No. - 845984
Registry No. - e/716195/1
Soldier's Name - McCarthy Lawrence
Regiment, Rank, No. - 4th Bn M.G.C. Ote 136633
Date and Place of Death - 16.10.18 22 C.C.S. France
Credits :- Account and Date - Kew 1.19 ? 12 s. 10 d. 10, X 3.19 ? s. 3 d. 11,
Charges :- ? s. d. , Account and Date
Date of Authority - 26.5.19
To whom Authorised - Fa. John. Amount authorised - ?12 s. 14 d. 9.
No. of List in which advertised -
Unit History: Machine Gun Corps
The Machine Gun Corps (MGC) was a corps of the British Army, formed in October 1915 in response to the need for more effective use of machine guns on the Western Front in World War I. The Heavy Branch of the MGC was the first to use tanks in combat, and the branch was subsequently turned into the Tank Corps, later called the Royal Tank Regiment. The MGC was disbanded in 1922.
At the outbreak of World War I in August 1914 the tactical potential of machine guns was not appreciated by the British Military. The Army therefore went to war with each infantry battalion and cavalry regiment containing a machine gun section of just two guns each. This was supplemented in November 1914 by the formation of the Motor Machine Gun Service (MMGS), administered by the Royal Artillery, consisting of motor cycle mounted machine gun batteries. A machine gun school was also opened in France.
A year of warfare on the Western Front proved that, to be fully effective, machine guns must be used in larger units and crewed by specially trained men. To achieve this, the Machine Gun Corps was formed in October 1915 with Infantry, Cavalry and Motor branches, followed in 1916 by the Heavy Branch. A depot and training centre was established at Belton Park in Grantham, Lincolnshire, and a base depćot at Camiers in France.
The Boy David Memorial to the Machine Gun Corps in London. The Vickers Guns on each side of the Boy David (which each have a laurel wreath laid over them) are actual Vickers Guns.
The inscription on the memorial: "Saul hath slain his thousands but David his tens of thousands".
The inscription on rear of the memorial
The Infantry Branch was by far the largest and was formed initially by the transfer of battalion machine gun sections to the MGC, these being grouped into Brigade Machine Gun Companies, three per division. New companies were raised at Grantham. In 1917 a fourth company was added to each division. In February and March 1918, the four companies in each division were formed into a Machine Gun Battalion.
The Cavalry Branch consisted of Machine Gun Squadrons, one per cavalry brigade.
The Motor Branch, after absorbing the MMGS, formed several types of units: motor cycle batteries, light armoured motor batteries (LAMB) and light car patrols. As well as motor cycles, other vehicles used included Rolls-Royce and Ford Model T cars.
The Heavy Section was formed in March 1916, becoming the Heavy Branch in November of that year. Men of this branch crewed the first tanks in action at Flers, during the Battle of the Somme in September 1916. In July 1917 the Heavy Branch separated from the MGC to become the Tank Corps, later called the Royal Tank Regiment.
The MGC saw action in all the main theatres of war, including France, Belgium, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Salonika, East Africa and Italy. In its short history the MGC gained an enviable record for heroism as a front line fighting force. Indeed, in the latter part of the war, as tactics changed to defence in depth, it commonly served well in advance of the front line. It had a less enviable record for its casualty rate. Some 170,500 officers and men served in the MGC with 62,049 becoming casualties, including 12,498 killed, earning it the nickname 'the Suicide Club'.
At the end of hostilities the MGC was again re-organised in a smaller form as many of its soldiers returned to civilian life. However, the Corps continued to see active service in subsequent wars: the Russian Civil War, the Third Anglo-Afghan War, and in the Northwest Frontier of India. It also served prominently in the British army which occupied parts of Germany in the period between the 1918 Armistice and the Versailles Peace Treaty. Its equipment and training made it possible for a relatively small garrison to control a large population.
By 1920 the headquarters in Belton Park was closed and the War Office was seeking to dispose of the many buildings. The Corps was disbanded in 1922 as a cost-cutting measure. [4] |
| Notes |
- Birth & Baptismal Certificate
Parish of St Mary & St Ann , Diocese of Cork & Ross.
On examination of the Register of Baptisms of the above Parish
I certify that according to it Lawrence McCarthy,
was born on the 18th day of August 1899.
and was baptised according to the Rites of the Catholic Church
on 20th day of August 1899
in the Church of St Marys & St Ann (North Cathedral)
by the Rev Fr. Pat Tracy
Parents John McCarthy and Catherine Leahy
Sponsors Thomas O'Neill and Ellen Hogan.
Confirmed
Married
Given on the 12th day of Nov 2015,
Signed Bernard Spillane (Sacristan) VERITAS
1901 Census of Ireland
10 Step lane, Cork City, Co Cork, Ireland
John McCarthy, Head of Family, Roman Catholic, Cannot Read, Age 32, Male, Initerart Musician, Married, born Cork. Speaks Irish & English, Blind
Kate McCarthy, Wife, Roman Catholic, Cannot Read, Age 27, Female, , Married, born Cork.
John McCarthy, Son, Roman Catholic, , Age 3, Male, , , born Cork,
Laurence McCarthy, Son, Roman Catholic, , Age 1, Male, , , born Cork,
1911 Census of Ireland.
7 Colemans Lane, Cork City, Co Cork, Ireland
John McCarthy, Head, Roman Catholic, Cannot Read, Age 47, Male, Musician, Married, Married - 16 years, children born alive 7, Children still Living - 6, Born Cork City, Blind
Kate McCarthy, Wife, Roman Catholic, Read Only, Age 38, Female, , Married, Married - 16 years, children born alive 7, Children still Living - 6, Born Cork City.
John McCarthy, Son, Roman Catholic, Read & Write, Age 13, Male, Telegraph Messenger, , Born Cork City.
Larry McCarthy, Son, Roman Catholic, Read Only, Age 12, Male, Scholars, , Born Cork City.
Mary Kate McCarthy, Daughter, Roman Catholic, Read & Write, Age 9, Female, Scholars, , Born Cork City.
James McCarthy, Son, Roman Catholic, Read & Write, Age 6, Male, Scholars, , Born Cork City.
Michael McCarthy, Son, Roman Catholic, Read & Write, Age 4, Male, Scholars, , Born Cork City.
Francis McCarthy, Son, Roman Catholic, Read & Write, Age 2, Male, - , , Born Cork City.
CWGC Record
Name - Lawrence McCarthy
Rank - Private
Service Number - 136633
Date of Death - 16/10/1918
Age - 19
Regiment/Service - Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
Service Country - United Kingdom
Grave Memoerial Reference - IV. G. 13.
Vemetery. Memorial Name - Bucquoy Road Cemetery, Ficheux [1, 2, 3]
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1899 - 1918 (19 years)
[1, 2] 
: Address
: Location
: City/Town
: County/Shire
: State/Province
: Country
: Not Set
