| The History of Coagh booklet lists Private Edward McGuckin as having served with the 9th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in the war.
|
|
| Edward McGuckin was a native of Coagh.
|
| 1915
|
| In December 1915 Private Edward McGuckin sent a letter to Coagh Working Society thanking them for goods received. He was with the Coagh volunteer boys with the Ulster Division in France.
|
| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 11th December 1915: Coagh
|
|
| A letter was received a few days ago by one of the ladies of Coagh Working Society from Private Edward McGuckin, on active service with the Ulster Division in France, thanking her for a muffler which was sent to him by the Society. It should help us to encourage those, who so willingly give up their spare time, to work for our soldiers and sailors, to know that their gifts are so much appreciated by the men. He writes:-
|
| ‘I have great pleasure in thanking you for the muffler, which was sent to me a week ago. I really cannot tell you how useful these warm things are to us out here since the weather has gone so cold and frosty. It helps us wonderfully to do our part in this terrible struggle which goes on day and daily, to know that the folks at home do not forget us. I must say that the ladies of Coagh are doing their share, and will you please say how very grateful we all are for their kindness to us. If only the young men, who are still outside the ranks, could be persuaded to join and come over to help us to put an end to the Huns. I am with all the Coagh volunteer boys, who are all in the very best of health and spirits, in spite of the hardships and dangers to which we are every day exposed. I thank you once more for the kind gift.’
|
| 1916
|
| A letter in early 1916 notes that Private McGuckin was with No 3 Company of the 9th Inniskillings.
|
| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated Saturday 5th February 1916: For the Glory of Coagh
|
|
| Private E McGuckin, No 3 Company, 9th Inniskillings, writes from the Front:-
|
| ‘Just a few lines from a few of the Knuts from Coagh, serving abroad with the 9th Inniskillings. There are a good number of us here, and we are all in the best of form. We are at present behind the firing line resting, wearing away the effects of our Christmas dinner, which upset the whole Battalion for quite a long time. We expect to get back to the trenches again shortly, and I can tell you we will show the Huns what Coagh can do. Our section is in charge of Corporal Mitchell, and it includes such well-known local men as Johnny McMullan, Robert Sands and James Hudson, and they are all waiting for the day to charge the Hun trenches and bring glory to Coagh. James Hudson is complaining to the billet right now, in very strong language, about those who still refuse to do their duty. We hope when they see this in the paper, and see how happy we are, they will at once dawn the khaki. I will close now, wishing every success to the good old ‘Mid’, which is eagerly looked for here every week.‘
|
| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated Saturday 15th April 1916: Coagh Soldiers at the Front
|
|
| Private Edward McGuckin, a native of Coagh, in a letter to the Mail dated 22nd March, says that all the Coagh boys are well and in good fighting form, although they have been constantly in the trenches for the past eight weeks. They are well accustomed to jack Johnstons, whizz bangs, trench mortars, and such other scrap as the ‘Germhuns’ treat them to. Private John McMullan is going strong, so strong in fact that he has been nicknamed the ‘whizz bang’. Other Coagh boys are known as ‘Rifle Grenade Sands’, ‘Trench Mortar Currie’ and ‘Barbed Wire Hudson’. Another chum from Aughnacloy, and well known in Coagh, is George Marshall. As the letter was been written he was singing mournfully in the dugout ‘I want to go home’, but his comrades know well that he does not want any such thing, at least until he sees the Huns in final retreat homewards. They had the din of guns instead of drums on Patrick’s Day. They were all glad to see that Constables Howe and Ryan had joined the colours, and wish them the best of luck. Sands and Hudson feel rather sore about some recent marriages, and fear there won’t be any Coagh girls (left) when they return victoriously home. The writer concludes by wishing the good old ‘Mid’ every success.
|
 |
