On the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme is the name of 23/692 Private Harold McCarthy, serving with the 23rd (Tyneside Scottish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers  who died 01/07/1916.

Derek Johnstone has provided the following:

Harold was born in 1897 in County Durham; his parents were Robert, a coal miner and Elizabeth McCarthy who were both born in Willington, Durham.

In 1901, his family was living at Leslie Row, Hauxley Amble in Northumberland and included his brothers John William and Frederick.

By 1911 he was 14 and living with his parents at 69, Beaumont Street, Newcastle and employed as a butcher’s errand boy.

Harold enlisted at Newcastle when living at 4, Third Street, Netherton which is near to Bedlington. This military record shows he was born at Berkeley, Gloucestershire as does his entry in the Tyneside Scottish book by Graham Stewart and John Sheen; this conflicts with the census reports but does not affect the accuracy of his other details. His effects went to his father Robert indicating he was probably not married.

Harold’s two brothers John William and Frederick were both killed in the Great War.

Harold McCarthy is remembered in Bedlington on B15.07 and B15.26 page 110.