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Burnley Express -- 14 July 1915
KILLED IN A TRENCH.
Death of a "Good Soldier"
On the eve of coming home for four days leave, Pte, James McCarthy, of the 1st East Lancashire Regiment of 51, Leyland Road, Burnley, has been killed in action somewhere on the Western front. The news was conveyed to his mother by Sergt. F.C. Scott, another Burnley man on Saturday morning. The sergeant wrote - "Dear Mrs. McCarthy, - I am sorry to inform you that your son, James (No. 6184 Pte. J. McCarthy), was killed yesterday morning, Tuesday, 6th July. You have no idea how sorry I am as he was such a good man for doing his duty and work, etc. I was holding a trench with - men, and there was a very heavy bombardment all day yesterday. Two shells dropped into the trench and killed eight men of my platoon. James was amongst them. Most of them were old hands and had done duty here since the start and they will be a great loss to me. But James will be a greater loss to you and also his poor wife. I called on his wife while I was on leave last February. Unfortunately, she was not at home, but I am living in hope to come out a visit if it is my luck to pull through all right.
I don't know the number of his wife's house so kindly break the news to her. You will hear from the War Office, but it may be a week or two. Please except my greatest sympathy to his wife. The remainder of the men in the Platoon wish to send their sympathy to you both. P.S -
When they were burying James this morning they found his wife's photo etc."
Pte. McCarthy who was 33 years of age, was a reservist, having been with the colours for seven years. He went through the South African War, and held the King and Queen's medals. His wife is left with three little children - a girl aged four, a boy aged three, and a little boy born after the father's departure to the western front and which the father never saw. The photo found on the dead soldier was that of his wife and three children. Before being called up Pte. McCarthy worked at Messrs. Cooper Bros. Foundry. Three of his brothers are in the Army, one of them Sergt. M. McCarthy, of the East Lancashire Regiment, having been wounded. The others Ptes. John and Thomas McCarthy, are in East Lancashire Battalions.
Only on Wednesday last week Pte. McCarthy's wife received a letter from him saying he was expecting to be home on leave in a few days, and promising to give her a good time when he came.

Burnley Express and Advertiser - September 11, 1915
Lost an eye. Burnley Soldiers Injury.
Pte. John McCarthy, of the 6th Batt. East Lancashire Regiment, whose home is at 29 Bedford Street, Burnley, has lost an eye as the result of a wound received at the Dardanelles. Writing to his wife, he said; -- "I got the bullet in the left eye, and it came out at the cheek. I am very lucky to be living. I am all right in myself and feel very well indeed. We get well looked after, and have had very good food. We were just coming out of the trenches to be relieved when I got hit, and I thought it was all over."
Pte. McCarthy was taken to a hospital at Port Said, and then sent to this country, now being at Brockenhurst, Hants. In a letter from the latter place he says; -- "My wound has healed up wonderfully. You can hardly see a mark on me, except my eye, which has vanished."
One of his brothers, Pte. James McCarthy, of the 1st East Lancashire Regiment has been killed in action, and another Sergt. M. McCarthy also of the East Lancashire has been wounded. Another brother, Thomas, is serving with the 6th Batt. East Lancashire Regiment at the Dardanelles.

Burnley Express - 5 February 1916
News Wanted - Young Burnley Soldier Missing
Mrs. McCarthy, of 11, Leyland road, Burnley, is desirous of obtaining definite news of her youngest son, Pte. Thomas McCarthy, of the 6th Batt. East Lancashire Regiment, who has been missing since August 9th. Pte. McCarthy, who is 23 years of age, was formerly employed at Towneley Colliery. His brother, Pte. James McCarthy, of the 1st East Lancashire Regt., was killed on July 6th, while another brother, Pte. John McCarthy, also of the 6th Batt., has lost an eye in action, and is still in hospital. Sergt. M. McCarthy, another brother, has also been wounded, but has recovered, and is now at Salenika.
Mrs. McCarthy has received the following letter from Lieut. Hugh Kelly; -- "I have made every effort in my power to trace your beloved son. I found out from Sergt. Taylor, of the machine gun section, that he was wounded in the head and also in the body, and he wandered off towards the dressing station a long way behind us. God in Heaven only knows what became of him afterwards. I hope you will put your trust in God, and hope for the best. If I ever find out any news of him I will let you know at once, as I thought a great deal of your son. Give my best wishes to your other boys."

Express and Advertiser, March 14, 1917 (page 3)
Now Presumed Dead. Missing in Eastern Campaign.
On Saturday Mrs. McCarthy, of 11, Leyland road, Burnley, received a communication from the War Office, stating that her youngest son, Pte. Thomas McCarthy, of the 6th East Lancashire Regiment who was reported missing in the East since August 9th, 1915, is now presumed to have been killed on that date.
Pte. McCarthy, who was 23 years of age, was formerly employed at Towneley Colliery. His brother Pte. James McCarthy, of the 1st East Lancashire Regt. was killed on July 6th, while another brother, Pte. John McCarthy, also of the 6th Batt., has lost an eye in action. Sergt. M. McCarthy, another brother has also been wounded. At the time Thomas was reported missing, Mrs. McCarthy received the following letter from Lieut. Hugh Kelly; -- "I have made every effort in my power to trace your beloved son. I found out from Sergt. Taylor, of the machine gun section, that he was wounded in the head and also in the body, and he wandered off towards the dressing station a long way behind us. God in Heaven only knows what became of him afterwards. I hope you will put your trust in God, and hope for the best. If I ever find out any news of him I will let you know at once, as I thought a great deal of your son. Give my best wishes to your other lads."

Express and Advertiser, March 17, 1917 (page 9)
Family That Has Been Hard Hit. -- Two Brothers Killed, Two Wounded, Cousin Missing.
A family very hard hit by the war is that of the McCarthy's, one of whom as announced Wednesday's issue, has now been presumed dead, after being missing at the Dardanelles from August 9, 1915. It is a remarkable record of four brothers and a cousin. All were in the East Lancashire Regt. Two brothers have now been killed; one has lost his left eye but is still serving; whilst the cousin, Pte. Lavin, has been reported wounded and missing since July 1st last, and there are no hopes that he is alive, as nothing has been heard of him, either officially or otherwise since. The unmarried McCarthy brothers lived at 11, Leyland Road, and the cousin (the only cousin) resided with his widowed mother in Pitt Street. Two of the brothers, John and Thomas, and the cousin enlisted within three days of each other.
The eldest of the McCarthy brothers is Sergt. Michael, who is forty years of age. He served in the Boer War, and was a reservist when the present war began with the 3rd East Lancashire Regt. He was on going out attached to another battalion, and has been wounded twice -- once at Neuve Chapelle and once at Salonika. He has now been in hospital at Salonika for the past eight months. He is unmarried.
Denis McCarthy, the second brother, has been rejected for military service, but he is working munitions.
The third, Pte. James McCarthy, who was 33 years old at the time he was killed, was with the 1st East Lancashire Regiment, and previous to joining the Army worked at Cooper's Foundry. He was married. He was killed at Ypres on July 6th 1915. He was a reservist having been with the colours seven years. He went through the Boer War. He left three little children, and on his dead body was found a photograph of his wife and children.
John McCarthy, the fourth son who is 32 and married, and belongs to the 6th East Lancashire Regiment lost his left eye through a bullet wound received at the Dardanelles. He was just coming out of the trenches when he was hit. He was taken to a hospital at Port Said, and afterwards came to a hospital at Brockenhurst, Hants. Pte. John McCarthy is still serving, being at the headquarters at Plymouth. He was formerly a joiner's labourer.
The fifth brother, Thomas is now presumed to have been killed after being missing at the Dardanelles since August 9th 1915. He was 23 years of age then, and previously was employed at Rowley Colliery. At the time he was missing a comrade said he was wounded in the head and body, and then disappeared.
Their cousin Pte. John Lavin, also of the East Lancashire Regiment was wounded and has been missing since July 1st. It is feared that he is dead.
The McCarthy family are connected with St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church.

Burnley Express August 1917
AFTER THIRTEEN MONTHS.
Mrs. Lavin, of 5, Pitt-street, Burnley has received a message from the War Office regretfully presuming the death of her only son, Pte. (16985) John Lavin, who was in the 7th East Lancashire Regt., no news having been heard of him since he went into action at the Somme on July 21, 1916. The soldier, who was aged 30 years and single, served in the Boer War with the Manchester Regt., and he enlisted voluntarily on November 5, 1914, in one of the Kitchener battalions, going to France in 1915. He worked as a labourer for the tramway department, and attended St. Mary's R.C. Church and School. Two cousins Pte. James McCarthy and Pte. Thos. McCarthy, were killed on July 6, 1915, at Ypres, and August 9, 1915, at the Dardanelles, and two other cousins, brothers of the McCarthy's killed have been wounded, the four brothers, by coincidence, all being in the East Lancashire Regt.
The soldiers father who lives in Healey Wood, was very much upset when he heard of the official news of his sons death.