James Joseph Magennis
British military diver / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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James Joseph Magennis, VC (27 October 1919 ā 12 February 1986) was a Belfast-born sailor and recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was the only native of Northern Ireland to receive the Victoria Cross in the Second World War.[1]
James Joseph Magennis | |
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Birth name | James Joseph McGinnes |
Born | (1919-10-27)27 October 1919 Belfast, Ireland |
Died | 12 February 1986(1986-02-12) (aged 66) Halifax, West Yorkshire, England |
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Service/ | Royal Navy |
Years of service | 1935ā1949 |
Rank | Leading Seaman |
Unit | HMS Kandahar HMS XE3 |
Battles/wars | Second World War |
Awards | Victoria Cross Mentioned in Despatches |
Magennis was part of several operations involving X-Craft midget submarines in attacks on Axis ships. In July 1945, Magennis was serving on HMS XE3 during Operation Struggle. During an attack on the Japanese cruiser Takao in Singapore, Magennis showed extraordinary valour and bravery by leaving the submarine for a second time in order to free some explosive charges that had got caught. His commanding officer, Lieutenant Ian Edward Fraser, was also awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions during the operation.