Albert Medal presented to Tipperary soldier who sacrificed his life to save comrades

An heroic Clonmel man, Corporal James Francis McCarthy (8874), a member of the 1st Battalion Royal Irish Regiment, and originally from Stephen Street (now Thomas Street), Clonmel, is among a very select few ever to be awarded the Albert Medal in gold after his death in action in 1918. This medal was later renamed the George Cross, which will be better known to most people.

A member of the 1st Battalion Royal Irish Regiment, Clonmel- born Cpl McCarthy laid down his life to save his comrades on January 24, 1918, while serving in Ain Kanish, Palestine.
The sad loss of life occurred when Cpl McCarthy was cleaning grenades and the fuse of one grenade became ignited. His first reaction was to look for somewhere safe to throw the grenade but finding himself in a place full of other men, he heroically clasped it close to his body and took the full brunt of the explosion which killed him instantly. He was 33 years of age when he died and was buried in the Jerusalem War Cemetery in Israel.
James was son of James (a soldier) and Johanna McCarthy (née Hennessy) whose address was later recorded as 24 College Street, Clonmel. His parents had been married in Ss Peter & Paul’s Church, Clonmel on January 16, 1881. His father is recorded as being a soldier and living at William Street, Clonmel while Johanna was a servant and living on Coleville Road, Clonmel.
According to records siblings of James include:
John born 1882; Thomas Francis born 1886 (died 1890 aged 4); Edward born 1889; Mary born 1891; Johanna born 1894; Catherine born 1896; Bridget born 1899; Patrick born 1903 (died 1904 aged 1); Agnes born 1904; Ellen born 1907 and George Hubert born 1908 (died 1908 aged 2 months). James himself was the second eldest child being born on January 15, 1885.
As James’ Service Records do not exist we do not know when he joined the Regiment. However he is noted in the 1911 Census for the Regiment as being with the 1st Battalion in India with the rank of Lance Corporal.

The Albert Medal awarded to Clonmel-born soldier Corporal James McCarthy

In the 1911 Census we find James’ family living at Cross Street, Clonmel, his parents, along with siblings Mary aged 19, a General Servant; Christina aged 13, Bridget aged 11, Agnes aged 6 and Helen aged 4.
James’ father, recorded as being aged 49, is listed as a Pensioner while his mother Johanna is recorded as being aged 42 is a Dressmaker.
What is also known from the Medal Index Card that James entered France with the 1st Battalion as part of the first draft on December 19, 1914, his MIC denotes his rank as being Sergeant at this stage of his army career.
According to Force War Records James is recorded on April 24, 1915, as being wounded with a gunshot wound to his right shoulder. This would have been during the action between Potijze Wood and Fortuin where 14 men were killed, 87 wounded and three were missing. He is listed on the Casualty List issued by the War Office dated May 8, 1915 and because of this he was entitled to wear a wound stripe. James would have left France with the 1st Battalion onboard H.T. Transylvania from Marseille on October 27, 1915.
At some stage, date unknown, he lost a stripe for misconduct and was demoted to Corporal.
Interestingly not too many families could afford to have a personal inscription on their loved one’s headstone but the McCarthy family took the opportunity and had inscribed:
‘BORN AT CLONMEL TRULY THE WORDS OF OUR DIVINE LORD APPLY TO HIM’

An edited extract from The Nationalist on Wednesday, November 20, 1918, reported on a Clonmel decoration:
War Honours - Presentation at Clonmel Military Barracks - Gallant Deeds Recalled
At the Depot of the Royal Irish Regiment, Clonmel, on Sunday last at 12 o’clock, Major-General Doran, General Office Commanding the Southern District, presented the Military Cross to Mr E.A. Hackett, County Surveyor, Clonmel and the Albert Medal in Gold to Mr James McCarthy, Dillon Street, Clonmel in recognition of the deeds of the gallantry of their sons, the late Temp. Lieut. Learo Alymer Henry Hackett, Royal Irish Rifles and Corporal James McCarthy, Royal Irish Regiment.
The presentation took place on the Barrack Square and as the proceedings were open there was a large attendance of the general public. The troops of the Depot were lined up on three sides of a square. The boys of the Borstal Institution were lined up in military formation near the troops and were under the supervision of Major Dobbin, Governor. The Brass Band of St Joseph’s Industrial School attended and discoursed some selections before and after the presentations.
General Doran, having inspected the troops, said it was befitting that the bestowal of decorations awarded by His Majesty the King, should be made as public an occasion as was possible and for that purpose the troops in Clonmel were assembled that day. It was pleasing to him to see so many people present to do honour to the receivers and recipients. By their presence the soldiers were there to pay a personal tribute on behalf of the Army generally to the families, relatives and friends of the brave men.

His burial place at the War Cemetery, Jerusalem, Israel.

Little else is known of James during the war except for the incident which cost him his life and resulted in him being awarded the Albert Medal in Gold.
Because his will was made public it was known that his mother was entitled to a War gratuity of £16 18s 9d awarded on August 1, 1918 and a further £21 on February 13, 1920.
Following James’ death his mother was awarded a pension of 15s, address on the pension record is 24 College Street, Clonmel, Tipperary.
Truly the words of our Divine Lord apply to him, “Greater love than this no man hath”.

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