Patrick Thomas (Tom) McCarty (SN 2414/Lt.) was born in Buninyong and attended the Buninyong State School. He was a 23 year old farrier when he enlisted on July 6th 1915. Posted to the 24th Infantry Battalion he left Melbourne on board the Osterley at the end of September and by the time he reached France in March 1916 he had been promoted to Sergeant. He was wounded in action early in 1917 and was evacuated to England. At the end of 1917 he was selected for officer training and commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant the following August. He rejoined his unit in France later that month but was killed in action just four days later at Mont St Quentin. He died on September 1st 1918 and is buried in the Peronne Cemetery, France.

Lucas’s Staffs Appreciation of Brave Men, the original Avenue register, records his name as Tom McCarty