Acting Company Quartermaster Sergeant Albert James Magill
Albert James Magill was born on 13 May 1895 in New Street, Donaghadee, County Down, the first of three children of National School teacher Hugh Magill and his wife Susan Aston Magill (née Greer). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at Ballyvester, Donaghadee, with his parents and siblings. In July 1915 he passed the preliminary accountancy examination.
Magill enlisted in the North Irish Horse in late 1915 or in 1916 (regimental number unknown). He trained at the regiment's Antrim reserve camp until November 1916, when he and around 100 other North Irish Horsemen volunteered to transfer to the Royal Irish Rifles. The formal transfer took place on 7 December (Magill was issued regimental number 40898), and on that day the men embarked for France. There they were posted to the 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, joining it on the Somme front on 12 December.
Little more is known of his experiences during the war, other than that at some point he was posted to the 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles. One record suggests that he was wounded.
After the war Magill returned to accountancy, working in Waterford and Belfast. On 1 June 1931 he married Anastasia Dunphy at the New Ross Roman Catholic Church, County Wexford.
New Ross Standard, 5 May 1931