Pte. Sidney Carlton McCarthny

Tauranga surveyor Sidney Carlton McCarthny was serving during World War I when he was wounded in action at Armentières in Northern France in July 1916. He never recovered, and died at Boulogne on 18 August 1916 from gunshot wounds to the abdomen, aged 21. Sidney Carlton McCarthny [sometimes misspelled Sydney) was born at Turua in Thames on 18 June 1895 (reg. 1895/18410). He was the eldest son of William McIntyre McCarthny (1864-1917) and Minnie McCarthny (née Hartley) (1870-1931) who married at Thames on 24 August 1894. Sidney worked as a surveyor in Tauranga and was also a Hauraki Regiment Volunteer from 16 June 1913. He was also a member of the Public Works Department in Tauranga before resigning to take a position with Stevens and Goulding. Sidney enlisted to serve during World War I on 16 June 1915, giving his birth year as 1894 rather than 1895. He was with the Auckland Infantry Battalion, 6th Company, 1st Battalion (Service No: WWI 12/3098). His last rank was Private. On 29 July 1916 Sydney was wounded in action at Armentières in France, receiving gunshot wounds to the abdomen. He was admitted to No. 13 General Hospital at Boulogne, France. Reports stated that a gunshot wound to the hip had perforated his bladder. He was reported as dangerously ill, but improving. Sidney died of his wounds at Boulogne on 18 August 1916, aged 21. He was buried in the Boulogne Eastern Cemetery in Pas de Calais, France. Source: Biography by Debbie McCauley (9 December 2014) https://debbiemccauleyauthor.wordpress.com/biographies/tauranga-rol....

Sources

1. Archives New Zealand: Military Personnel File.
2. Auckland War Memorial Museum: Cenotaph Record.
3. Births, Deaths and Marriages Online (New Zealand).