Lieutenant Lawrence McCarthy V.C.Print Page 
On 23 August 1918 , McCarthy performed what some regarded as the most effective piece of individual fighting in the history of the AIF next to Albert Jacka's Military Cross winning feat at Pozières. McCarthy, leading the 16th Battalion's "D" Company, attained his objectives, but the battalion on their left had been held up by German machine guns. He and a sergeant attacked the machine-gun posts, capturing 460 metres of German trench and forcing the surrender of between forty and fifty Germans. McCarthy was unscathed, the sergeant wounded. For this McCarthy was awarded the Victoria Cross that, within his battalion and in some quarters of the London press, came to be known as the "super-VC".
The service and sacrifice of Western Australia's Victoria Cross and George Cross recipients will be remembered in perpetuity with each recipient being commemorated at highway rest stops south of Perth. Veterans Minister Joe Francis said the project, similar to Remembrance Driveway on the Federal and Hume highways between Sydney and Canberra, would see plaques honouring WA's 17 Victoria Cross and two George Cross recipients placed at rest areas on highways leading to Albany.
"The rest stops will be on Albany Highway between Perth and Albany and along South Western Highway between Pinjarra and Kirup," Mr Francis said. The plaques will be installed at rest stops in chronological order, starting with the South Western Highway (Frederick Bell VC). Each will contain a short biography of the recipient and part of their citation as gazetted. "While the Victoria Cross is awarded for extreme gallantry in the face of the enemy, the George Cross - open to service personnel and civilians - was instituted to recognise extreme bravery that did not involve contact with the enemy. The series of plaques will be called Commemoration Way, and will be rolled out between Anzac Day and Remembrance Day, 2016."
Media Statement, 20th April 2016.
Location
| Address: | South Western Highway , Bridgetown Rest Area, Bridgetown, 6255 |
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| State: | WA |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -33.970328 Long: 116.135278 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Plaque |
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| Monument Theme: | People |
| Sub-Theme: | Military |
| Link: | http://adb.anu.edu.au/ |
Dedication
| Approx. Monument Dedication Date: | 2016 |
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Commemoration Way
In honour of Victoria Cross recipient
Lieutenant Lawrence McCarthy VC
Lawrence Dominic McCarthy was born on 21 January 1892 in York. From the age of 13 he worked as an apprentice on a farm near Northam, later moving to Lion Mill (now Mount Helena). McCarthy enlisted on 16 October 1914 and was posted to the 16th Battalion as a private. McCarthy saw action at Gallipoli, Pozieres, Mouquet Farm, Bullecourt and Amiens. McCarthy later moved to Melbourne where he died age 83 on 25 May 1975.
16th Battalion, 23 August 1918 ar Madame Wood, France
"For most conspicuous bravery, initiative and leadership on the morning of the 23rd August 1918, in attack near Madame Wood, east of Vermandovillers (north of Chaulnes). Although the objectives of his battalion were attained without serious oppostion, the battalion on the left flank was heavily opposed by well-posted machine guns. Lt. McCarthy, realising the situation, at once engaged the nearest machine-gun post, but still the attacking troops failed to get forward. This officer then determined to attack the nearest post. Leaving his men to continue the fire fight, he, with two others, dashed across the open and succeeded in reaching the block. Although single-handed, as he had outdistanced his comrades, and despite serious oppositon and obstacles, he captured the gun and continued to fight his way down the trench, inflicting heavy casualties, and capturing three more machine guns.
At this stage, being some 700 yards from his starting point, he was joined by one of his men, and together they continued to bomb the trench until touch was established with an adjoining unit. Lt. McCarthy, during this most daring advance, single-handed killed twenty of the enemy and captured in addition 5 machine guns and fifty prisoners. By his gallant and determined action he saved a critical situation, prevented more casualties, and was mainly, if not entirely, responsible for the final objective being taken."
