| John Gilmor Magee was a son of Alexander and Sarah Magee. Alexander Magee married Sarah Magee on 11th August 1890 in the district of Cookstown.
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| John was born on 5th June 1898 in the Cookstown area. He was one of at least eleven children.
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| The 1901 census lists John ‘J’ as age 2, living with family at house 23 in Tullycall, Oritor, County Tyrone. His father was a carpenter.
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| The 1911 census lists John G Magee as age 12, living with family at house 5 in Toberlane, Orritor. He was still at school. Both his father and his elder brother were carpenters.
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| Family: Alexander Magee, Sarah Magee, Anderson Magee (born 1st November 1892), George Henry H Magee (born 23rd June 1894), Robert A Magee (born 19th July 1896), John G Magee (born 5th June 1898), Jessie Magee (born 6th March 1900), Albert E Magee (born 12th January 1902), Andrew Magee (born 16th December 1904), Ronald Magee (born 21st December 1905), Cecil J B Magee (born 18th February 1909), Sarah Magee (born 1st February 1912).
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| John was employed with his father at Wellbrook until early 1916.
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| He was a prominent member of the Ulster Volunteers and of Orritor L.O.L.
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| After leaving his position at Wellbrook, he went to work in Glasgow.
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| World War One
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| John Magee joined the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), with the Service No. 23371.
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| He subsequently transferred to the Highland Light Infantry.
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| John G Magee was in France from June 1916 and took part in many engagements, notably at Cambrai and Arras. He was home on leave twice during active service.
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| Corporal John Gilmour Magee had been on duty in the front line and had just finished his shift when an enemy airplane came over the trench, firing its machine gun and he was killed instantly.
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| Corporal John Magee was serving with 14th Battalion of the Highland Light Infantry when he was killed in action on 22nd March 1918.
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| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 20th April 1918:
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| Mr Alexander Magee, Toberlane, Cookstown, has received official word that his son, Corporal John Gilmour Magee, Highland Light Infantry, was killed in action in France between 21st and 27th March.
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| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 27th April 1918: Corporal John Gilmour Magee
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| Corporal John Gilmour Magee, Highland Light Infantry, son of Mr Alexander Magee, Toberlane, Cookstown, who was killed in action in France between 20th and 27th March. The deceased, who was not quite twenty years of age, was employed with his father at Wellbrook up till early in 1916, when he went to Glasgow. He joined the army soon afterwards, and went out to France of June of that year. He took part in many engagements, notably at Cambrai and Arras, getting through without a casualty until he received his fatal wound. He was home on furlough twice during his active service. He was a prominent member of the U.V.F. and a member of the L.O.L. at Orritor. He was of a kind a lovable disposition and highly respected by all who knew him. Two other brothers are serving. George, who is in the Inniskillings, being in France since soon after the Ulster Division went out. Robert is with the Labour battalion of the Royal Scots and is in France for over a year.
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| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 4th May 1918: George Magee (brother of John Magee)
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| Lance Corporal George Magee, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (son of Alex Magee, Toberlane, Cookstown), was reported as missing on 24th March, but a post card has been received from him stating that he is a prisoner of war in Germany.
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| Letter Dated 18th May 1918 from P Lambe, QSM Sgt.
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| Dear Madam, In reply to your letter dated 8th May 1918, I regret to inform you that your son 29112 Corporal J G Magee was killed in action on the 22 March 1918. He had been on duty in the front line with a few more of his chums and had just finished his tour, when an enemy aeroplane came over the trench, firing it’s machine gun and he was killed instantly and buried the same evening in the British cemetery close by. I may say that the cemetery I speak of is now in enemy lines. Dear Madam, t is really very unfortunate that the sad affairs I write about should be executed by myself for Corporal Magee was a particular friend of my own, and was well respected by officers and men of his Company and had been mentioned several times for his bravery and was a thorough soldier, so I may say he was sadly missed by all who knew him. Therefore Dear Madam, our sincere sympathy goes out to you, on your sad bereavement. Yours sincerely P Lambe, QSM Sgt.
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| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 8th June 1918: Corporal J G Magee
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| Mrs Magee, Toberlane, Cookstown, has received a letter from a Company Sergeant Major of the Highland Light Infantry regarding her son, Corporal J G Magee, Highland Light Infantry, who was killed in action on 22nd March. It said:-
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| ‘He had been on duty in the front line and had just finished his tour, when as an enemy airplane came over the trench firing his machine gun, and he was killed instantly, and buried the same evening in the British cemetery close by. He was well respected by officers and men of his company, and had been mentioned several times for his bravery, and was a very thorough soldier.’
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| At the time of his death John had two other brothers serving in the army. George Magee was serving with the Inniskillings, and Robert with a Labour Battalion of the Royal Scots.
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| World War Two
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| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 8th June 1940: Ronald Magee (brother of Corporal John Magee)
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| Among the 235,000 men who escaped the clutches of the Germans in the great evacuation from Dunkirk last week was Mr Ronald Magee (seventh son of the late Alexander Magee of Toberlane, Cookstown). He had been an engineer in the employment of Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd, the big firm of contractors. On the declaration of war in September, he volunteered and was sent to Arras, where he served until the invasion of Belgium, when he went to the new front. His relatives got word from him on Saturday that he had arrived safely at his home. He is married and has two children.
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| Memorials
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| Corporal John Gilmor Magee has no known grave and is commemorated on Bay 8 on the Arras Memorial to the Missing, France.
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| Courtesy of www.14hli.co.uk
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| The CWGC officially changed the spelling from John G McGee to John G Magee around Christmas 2012.
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