Tim McCarthy was a true seaman and although young in years, was one of the best on board the Endurance.
Born to John and Mary McCarthy in Kinsale, County Cork Ireland in 1888.
He and his elder brother Mortimer, (known as Morty) both took part in Antarctic expeditions. Mortimer on Scott’s “Aurora” and “Terra Nova”,and Tim on the “ Endurance”. Strangely, Tim and his brother Morty were born on the same day of the month. Tim: 15th July 1888. Morty: 15th April. 1882.
Tim was born in the Lower Cove district of Kinsale, a place renowned in Ireland for producing skilled seamen and fishermen. Just the mention of being born in that district was a guarantee of good seafaring skills to a prospective employer.
It is no wonder that Shackleton, probably being aware of the qualities of his older brother Morty, hired Tim for the Endurance, and selected him, to help sail the James Caird on the epic voyage from Elephant Island to South Georgia.
McCarthy it would seem was camera shy, as he appears on only one or two of Hurley’s surviving photographs taken on the expedition.
Tim was to have his life cut short, like so many other young men of his generation in World War 1. He had joined the Royal Navy Reserve as a Leading Seaman when on Friday 16th March 1917, just three weeks after returning to England from South Georgia, and at the age of only 28, was killed in action at his gun post on board the S.S. Narragansett . The ship was torpedoed between the South West of Ireland and The Scilly Isles. His first day under enemy fire.
He went down with his ship along with all other 45 hands. Tim was the first of the I.T.A.E. members to die.
He is remembered on the Plymouth Naval Memorial Panel number 23.
S.S. Narragansett. Built 1903. Greenock.Glasgow. Scotland. For the Anglo-American Oil Company.
She was the largest and fastest tanker of her kind afloat.
Length: 532 feet. Beam: 63 feet. 9196 grt. Speed 11 knots
The Tanker, Narragansett was torpedoed and eventually sank off the Scilly Islands (50.12 N 17 .34W) whilst returning to London from New York with a cargo of lubricating oil, on 16th March 1917.
In October 1913 the Narragansett had played a major role in the rescue of 521 survivors from the fire stricken S.S. Volturno of the Royal Line. She was able to calm the sea by pumping out oil.
On 17thMay 1915 she was attacked by a submarine off the South Coast of Ireland, but on that occasion, the torpedoes missed.
In 2000, both Tim and his brother Mortimer, were honoured by their hometown of Kinsale with a commissioned bust of the two of them, which stands in the town’s park close to the shore line.
Tom Crean’s daughter Mary Crean O’Brien was one of the many present at the unveiling ceremony.
With thanks to Brian Graham and colleagues ( Kinsale Tourist Information)
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