Sergeant Mechanic John Doak McMahon
John Doak McMahon was born on 2 February 1888 at Milford, County Donegal, the second of six children of miller James McMahon and his wife Mary Taggart McMahon (nee Meneely). By 1911 he was living with his parents, four brothers and an aunt at The Mills, Milford, and working as a carpenter.
McMahon enlisted in the North Irish Horse at Letterkenny on 20 February 1914 (No.908). He embarked for France with A Squadron on 17 August 1914, seeing action on the retreat from Mons and advance to the Aisne.
McMahon remained in France with A Squadron until the end of 1915, when he returned home to be discharged and to re-enlist in the Royal Flying Corps (No.14329) – on 3 January 1916. He served as a carpenter in the RFC, then the Royal Air Force, for the remainder of the war, though whether he saw any further overseas service is unknown.
He was promoted from the rank of Air Mechanic Class 2 to Air Mechanic Class 1 on 1 November 1916, to Corporal Mechanic on 2 April 1918, and to acting sergeant mechanic on 11 August 1918.
On 25 March 1919 McMahon was transferred to the RAF's G Reserve. He was discharged on 30 April 1920.
Two of McMahon's brothers, William James McMahon and Arthur Edwin McMahon, also served in the war with the North Irish Horse.