Private William Robert Magwood
William Robert Magwood was born on 12 April 1893 at Aghafin, Clones, County Monaghan, the fourth of five children of farmer Robert Magwood and his wife Mary (nee Gordon). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at Aghafin with his parents and siblings.
On 29 December 1911 at Clones Magwood enlisted in the 3rd Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers (No.5713). He soon had second thoughts, however, and seven days later purchased his discharge.
A year later, on 14 January 1913 at Clones, Magwood enlisted again, this time with the North Irish Horse (No.787). He attended the annual camps in 1913 and 1914 and was mobilised at the beginning of the war. He soon fell ill, however. According to a medical board, on Sunday 8 August 1914, while on fatigue duty:
... he had a fit of some kind and was unconscious for some time. He had a similar attack some 6 weeks ago & was stated to have been unconscious for some hours – this is said to have occurred at a time when he fell off his bicycle and hurt his side – he has intermittent and irregular heart action & it is possible he fell off his bicycle owing to some disturbance of his circulation because on Sunday 8th he stopped working sat down & then fell down & was in a dazed condition for some hours. He was in (?) Hospital for 2 days under observation – during the whole time he was somewhat dazed & stupid. He was sent home from the County Hospital in charge of his father.
On 11 August 1914 Magwood was discharged as permanently unfit for military service (paragraph 281(i) of mobilisation regulations). His military character was recorded as "very good".
After his discharge Magwood returned to farming. On 12 June 1930 he married Mary Ellen McMurray at Newbliss Presbyterian Church, Monaghan.