MAGENNIS, James Joseph
Leading Seaman. Royal Navy.
London Gazetted on 13th November 1945.
Born on 22nd October 1919 at Belfast, Ireland.
Died on 12th February, 1986 at Halifax, Yorkshire.
Memorial at Mab Wood Crematorium, Shipley, Yorkshire.
Digest of Citation reads:
In the Johore Straits on 31st July 1945, Leading Seaman Magennis was a diver in the XE3, a midget submarine. H experienced great difficulty as he attached limpet mines to the. Atago class Japanese cruiser. The XE3 was jammed beneath the Cruiser and the driver's hatch was not able to open fully. Magennis squeezed himself through the narrow opening, and had to remove barnacles from the bottom of the Cruiser before he could attach the mines. It was tiring work as he had to attach them in pairs bypassing a line under the keel. He also was handicapped by a small leak of oxygen, causing bubbles to reach the surface. He completed the job, placing all mines in position, before returning to the submarine. On withdrawing, Lieutenant FRASER discovered that one of the limpet carriers could not be jettisoned. Leading Seaman Magennis, despite being exhausted, immediately volunteered to go out again and free it. It took seven minutes of nerve-racking work, but he managed to release it. He displayed great courage and showed no regard for his own safety.