M’Crea Magee College and the Great War

This cutting from the Belfast Telegraph shows the bronze tablet War Memorial erected in the Examination Hall in M’Crea College in memory of the students who fell in the Great War. It was unveiled by the Rev Dr J M Simms, Moderator of the General Assembly who himself had been Principal Chaplain of the British Expeditionary Force during the 1st World War.

image - McCrea Magee College War Memorial

  1. Daniel Kerr, 14th Battalion of the Cheshire Regiment died at Gallipoli in 1915 aged 23. The son of Mr and Mrs S J Kerr, Craignamaddy, Bushmills, he was a student for the Presbyterian ministry and was a member of Croaghmore Presbyterian Church.
  1. Samuel McCullagh Linden, 90th Heavy Artillery, Royal Garrison Artillery, the son of Robert Linden, Royal Irish Constabulary, and Eliza Baird. He had studied theology at Trinity College Dublin. His parents were in Londonderry at the time of the war. He married Florence Elizabeth Neill at Templemore, Londondery in April 1916. He was killed in action at Vlamertinghe on 31 July 1917, the first day of the Third Battle of Ypres. He is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.
  1. James F D McCay, 15th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, the son of the Rev James McCay of 1st Castlederg and Jeanie Gailey, born 11 January 1892. He was a member of 1st Castlederg Presbyterian Church.
  1. Hugh Alexander Small, son of Alexander Small and Meta Kennedy Milliken of Keady, born 28 March 1891. He died 11 July 1916 at Trones Wood. He is commemorated on the war memorial in 2nd Keady Presbyterian Church.
  1. Rev Alexander Stuart, the son of the Rev J C Stuart, Clare, died near Cambrai on 24 October 1917 aged 24. Interred in Ruyaulcourt Military Cemetery.
  1. Alexander Hunter Witherow, son of Alexander and Margaret Witherow, Claudy 17th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles, died 3 July 1916 aged 21. Commemorated on the war memorial in Banagher Presbyterian Church.
  1. John Thomas Witherow, brother of Alexander Hunter Witherow, died 5 August 1917 aged 26. Commemorated on the war memorial in Banagher Presbyterian Church.