People on board

McCARTHY

Identified only as Stoker McCarthy, serving on HMS Marlborough, this man appeared in a contemporary photograph of three Royal Navy sailors with three U.S. Navy sailors.

During the relevant time there were two men named McCarthy serving as Stokers on HMS Marlborough, Thomas born 1894 in Liverpool and John born 1896 in Ballinspittle, Co Cork. As the other Royal Navy sailors in the photograph were from Ireland then it would seem that John is the likelier of the two. However a birth record in Cork has not been identified therefore his parents have not been identified. As it is a common name in Cork it has also not been possible to positively identify him in census records.

John McCarthy’s Naval Record exists where he gives his date of birth as the 18th of November 1896 in Ballinspittle. His occupation was a Farm Labourer. He enlisted on the 17th of May 1914 for twelve years. He served on several different ships and was on the Marlborough from November 1915 until September 1919. A note states that he “failed as Senior Stoker but qualified as leading Stoker” in May 1921. He served in the Navy until 1926.