Timothy McCarthy - Biographical notes

Timothy F. McCarthy

Able seaman Endurance 1914-17

"[He] is the most irrepressible optimist I've ever met," "When I relieve him at the helm, boat iced and seas down yr neck, he informs me with a happy grin, `It's a grand day, sir`"
Frank Worsley

An Irishman who had joined the expedition from the merchant service, McCarthy is one of the six men who made the journey from Elephant Island to South Georgia on boards the James Caird, though he did not cross South Georgia, instead staying with Vincent and McNish who were not well enough to move.

He was one of the youngest members of the expedition.

Timothy McCarthy was born in the in Lower Cove district of Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland in 1888, the son of John and Mary McCarthy. He had a brother, Mortimer (Morty) who was six years older and had also been on an Antarctic expedition, with Scott on the "Terra Nova". The district where they came from was well known for producing skilled seamen and fishermen.

On returning to England after the expedition, McCarthy joined the Royal Navy Reserve as a Leading Seaman as his service in the First World War. On Friday 16th March 1917, only three weeks after returning from South Georgia, and at the age of 28, he was killed in action at his gun post on board the S.S. Narragansett, on his first day under enemy fire. The ship had been torpedoed between the South West of Ireland and The Scilly Isles.

He went down with his ship along with all other 45 hands, he was the first of the Endurance expedition members to die.

In 2000, both the McCarthy brothers, Timothy and Mortimer, were honoured with commissioned busts by their hometown of Kinsale, which stand in the town's park close to the shore.

References to Timothy McCarthy in Shackleton's book "South!" buy USA buy UK

The camp I wished to find was one where the party could live for weeks or even months in safety, without danger from sea or wind in the heaviest winter gale. Wild was to proceed westwards along the coast and was to take with him four of the fittest men, Marston, Crean, Vincent, and McCarthy. If he did not return before dark we were to light a flare, which would serve him as a guide to the entrance of the channel.

I finally selected McNeish, McCarthy, and Vincent in addition to Worsley and Crean. The crew seemed a strong one, and as I looked at the men I felt confidence increasing.

McCarthy said that he could contrive some sort of covering for the James Caird if he might use the lids of the cases and the four sledge-runners that we had lashed inside the boat for use in the event of a landing on Graham Land at Wilhelmina Bay. This bay, at one time the goal of our desire, had been left behind in the course of our drift, but we had retained the runners. The carpenter proposed to complete the covering with some of our canvas; and he set about making his plans at once.

The weather was fine on April 23, and we hurried forward our preparations. It was on this day I decided finally that the crew for the James Caird should consist of Worsley, Crean, McNeish, McCarthy, Vincent, and myself.

These birds are as sure an indication of the proximity of land as a lighthouse is, for they never venture far to sea. We gazed ahead with increasing eagerness, and at 12.30 p.m., through a rift in the clouds, McCarthy caught a glimpse of the black cliffs of South Georgia, just fourteen days after our departure from Elephant Island. It was a glad moment. Thirst-ridden, chilled, and weak as we were, happiness irradiated us. The job was nearly done.

Crean and McCarthy had brought down six more of the young albatrosses in the afternoon, so we were well supplied with fresh food

One side of the James Caird rested on stones so as to afford a low entrance, and when we had finished she looked as though she had grown there. McCarthy entered into this work with great spirit. A sea-elephant provided us with fuel and meat, and that evening found a well-fed and fairly contented party at rest in Peggotty Camp.

The two men were not capable of managing for themselves and McCarthy must stay to look after them. He might have a difficult task if we failed to reach the whaling station. The distance to Husvik, according to the chart, was no more than seventeen geographical miles in a direct line, but we had very scanty knowledge of the conditions of the interior.

McCarthy, McNeish, and Vincent had been landed on the Monday afternoon. They were already showing some signs of increasing strength under a regime of warm quarters and abundant food.

McCarthy, the best and most efficient of the sailors, always cheerful under the most trying circumstances, and who for these very reasons I chose to accompany me on the boat journey to South Georgia, was killed at his gun in the Channel.

Landmarks named after Timothy McCarthy

Feature Name: McCarthy Island
Feature Type: island
Latitude: 5410S
Longitude: 03726W
Description: Island, 1 mi long, lying in the entrance to King Haakon Bay on the S side of South Georgia. Surveyed by the SGS in the period 1951-57, and named by the UK-APC.