Francis Maginn,D.S.O.-a Black and Tan?

[EastSurrey]

Lieut.Francis John Maginn won a D.SO.with 1st LRB at Cambrai,after being recommended for a V.C..According to a story by a man called Wallis who served in the LRB and repeated in K.M.Mitchinson's book"Gentlemen and Officers"(p.259),Maginn later attended a dinner given in his honour,and met De Valera who offered him command of a Sinn Fein battalion after the Great War was over.Maginn accepted,but when he was returning to Ireland after being demobbed,he fell in with some R.I.C.officers who persuaded him to join the Black and Tans!Six weeks later,he was apparently killed by Sinn Feiners in a Dublin street fight.

I found Maginn's file on a visit to TNA(WO374/45556).This showed he was born in 1892 in Tralee and commissioned into the Londons after service with the Canadians .He was disembodied on 25.3.19,and was paid a grauity on 15.4.19.There was nothing later recorded that I could see.I can't find Maginn on the CWGC website.

Can anyone throw further light on this unusual story?

[corisande]

Have you looked him in Herlihy's book on the RIC

http://www.fourcourtspress.ie/product.php?intProductID=273

It can be foiund via your library (or try RootsChat for a look up) it has a complete list of RIC officers, and they were RIC rather than Army (from a record point of view anyway)

[tommy mcclimonds]

East Surrey

To save you the bother, there is no Francis Maginn listed in Jim Herlihy's book on RIC Officers 1816 to 1922. I have also checked the RIC records on Ancestry and there is no Francis Maginn listed there either, but there are 5 Maginn's listed, no Francis and none of the five listed was born in Tralee. If he was an officer he was more likely to have joined the Auxiliaries (ADRIC) than the Black and Tans.

Regards, Tommy.

[EastSurrey]

East Surrey

To save you the bother, there is no Francis Maginn listed in Jim Herlihy's book on RIC Officers 1816 to 1922. I have also checked the RIC records on Ancestry and there is no Francis Maginn listed there either, but there are 5 Maginn's listed, no Francis and none of the five listed was born in Tralee. If he was an officer he was more likely to have joined the Auxiliaries (ADRIC) than the Black and Tans.

Regards, Tommy.

Thanks,Tommy.I'll have to see if I can find when he died.That might help resolve what actually happened.

Michael

[tommy mcclimonds]

Michael

Try a search of the Irish Times on-line archive you never know what it might throw up for you, if you don't have access maybe some kind pal who does will do it for you.

Regards, Tommy.

[corisande]

This seems to be your answer, from Irish Times 12 Oct 1921

[johnny_doyle]

two further references from the Irish Times archive attached. Announcing the MC 28/12/1917and then correcting to a DSO 31/12/1917.

On Ancestry, there appear to be 2 Candadian medal cards relating to FJ Maginn. L/Cpl Francis John Maginn, 472441, 75th Pioneer Canadian Infantry and EJ Maginn, Private 5th Can Mounted Rifles and then a Lt 5th Lon Reg. The latter mentions that this is FJ Maginn and notes a DSO awarded. Clain for a 1914-15 Star.

London Gazette, 1st Feb 1918 under Canadian Forces lists 2nd Lt John Francis Maginn, London R

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/305...upplements/1600

The notice re his brother's death in 1916 mentions his father John in Ballina and also his uncle Francis Maginn BD in Belfast. There's another article in 1913 re this chap being awarded a French medal for services to the deaf noting that he was the son of the Rev C.A. Maginn MA, Rector of Castletownroche, Co Cork and a direct descendant of the poet Spenser on his mother's side. Dr Charles Arthur Maginn was rector of Killanelly, Co Cork.

http://dspace.wrlc.org/view/ImgViewer?url=...fest/2041/37751

The uncle was mistakenly arrested as a spy on a trip to Scotland during WW1

http://www.belfasthistoryproject.com/all-d...timeline-1910-s

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Maginn

[johnny_doyle]

From the Irish Times archive, F Maginn awarded a Bank of Ireland Clerkship after passing the bank exam. 23rd Dec 1910. Pupil of Mr Sparkhall BRowns Academy, 65 St Stephen's Green, Dublin.

http://www.ebooksread.com/authors-eng/cana...e-ban-ana.shtml

280 LETTERS FROM THE FRONT

Maginn, Francis John — Lieutenant, D.S.O. Born 12th May,

1892, at Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland. Father, John Maginn,

Manager, Bank of Ireland, Ballina, Ireland (retired). Educated

at King William's College, Isle of Man. Entered the service of

the Bank, 23rd March, 1912. Enlisted, June, 1915, from Marcelin

branch, in 65th Canadian Battalion, with the rank of Private.

Transferred to 75th Canadian Battalion, May, 1916; London Irish

Rifles, June, 1917; London Rifle Brigade, December, 1917.

Promoted Corporal, November, 1915; Second Lieutenant, June,

1917; Lieutenant, December, 1918. Principal actions: Somme,

1916; Cambrai, 1917; German Attack on Arras, March, 1918

Appointed A Companion of The Distinguished Service Order

"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty.

When an officer of another regiment was very severely

wounded and was unable to move, he rushed forward

with two stretcher-bearers under heavy machine-gun

and sniper's fire and sniped the enemy for fifteen

minutes, covering the stretcher-bearers, who were

thus able to bring the wounded officer back. He

showed splendid courage and resource."

(Supplement to the London Gazette, 5th July, 1918).

Mentioned In Despatches For Gallant and Distinguished Service in the Field.

Severely wounded (shrapnel) in the thigh, Somme, 1916; slightly

wounded (shrapnel) in the head, Cambrai, 1917. Invalided home.

May, 1918, with trench fever.

[EastSurrey]

This seems to be your answer, from Irish Times 12 Oct 1921

Thankyou,very much,Corisande.It seems the story quoted in "Gentlemen in Officers "is complete nonsense regarding his post-war career!

Studying other records I have been saddened by the number of Great War veterans who died within a few years,only,of the end of hostilities.

Michael

[EastSurrey]

From the Irish Times archive, F Maginn awarded a Bank of Ireland Clerkship after passing the bank exam. 23rd Dec 1910. Pupil of Mr Sparkhall BRowns Academy, 65 St Stephen's Green, Dublin.

http://www.ebooksread.com/authors-eng/cana...e-ban-ana.shtml

280 LETTERS FROM THE FRONT

Maginn, Francis John — Lieutenant, D.S.O. Born 12th May,

1892, at Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland. Father, John Maginn,

Manager, Bank of Ireland, Ballina, Ireland (retired). Educated

at King William's College, Isle of Man. Entered the service of

the Bank, 23rd March, 1912. Enlisted, June, 1915, from Marcelin

branch, in 65th Canadian Battalion, with the rank of Private.

Transferred to 75th Canadian Battalion, May, 1916; London Irish

Rifles, June, 1917; London Rifle Brigade, December, 1917.

Promoted Corporal, November, 1915; Second Lieutenant, June,

1917; Lieutenant, December, 1918. Principal actions: Somme,

1916; Cambrai, 1917; German Attack on Arras, March, 1918

Appointed A Companion of The Distinguished Service Order

"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty.

When an officer of another regiment was very severely

wounded and was unable to move, he rushed forward

with two stretcher-bearers under heavy machine-gun

and sniper's fire and sniped the enemy for fifteen

minutes, covering the stretcher-bearers, who were

thus able to bring the wounded officer back. He

showed splendid courage and resource."

(Supplement to the London Gazette, 5th July, 1918).

Mentioned In Despatches For Gallant and Distinguished Service in the Field.

Severely wounded (shrapnel) in the thigh, Somme, 1916; slightly

wounded (shrapnel) in the head, Cambrai, 1917. Invalided home.

May, 1918, with trench fever.

Thankyou for all the extra information on Maginn,Corisande.

Michael