James Michael McGee

In memoriam

James McGee was the son of Bernard Magee (1831-1915) and Mary McGee (nee O'Donnell) (1842-1889), of Nelson Creek, Greymouth. One of twenty nine crew and 182 troops lost on the torpedoed Marquette 23 October 1915. Marama then transfer to Moldavia for Suez. Ship name "Marama" from The Evening Post, May 23, 1915 listing the nurses and officers on the passenger list. Transfer to Moldavia. The Marquette was a British Merchant ship of 7,057 tons. It sank when a torpedo launched from a submarine hit it 36 miles south of Salonika Bay. Twenty nine crew and 182 troops were lost. Ten of those who died were New Zealand nurses who had been working at No.1 New Zealand Stationary Hospital in Port Said in October 1915 when they were ordered to prepare to go to Lemnos. The hospital was to be set up there to care for casualties being brought back from the Dardanelles. The Transport Ship Marquette took on board officers and men of the New Zealand Medical Corps, 36 New Zealand Army Nursing Staff, 610 officers and men of 29th Divisional Ammunition Column , 541 mules and some ammunition in mid October sailed for Salonika. The French torpedo destroyer Tirailleur joined the convoy on 22 October which gave credence to the idea that there was a real danger of being attacked by German submarines in the Mediterranean. The torpedo destroyer left the convoy that night and at 9.15 am on 23 October the Marquette was hit by a torpedo on the starboard side and began to list. Within about 15 minutes she sank. Source: Cenotaph. MCGEE, JAMES MICHAEL, Private, No. 3605, No. 1 New Zealand Stationary Hospital, son of Bernard McGee, of Greymouth, New Zealand, Goldminer (a native of co. Donegal, who died 5 July, 1916); born Westland, New Zealand, 6 July, 1879; educated Convent of Mercy, Greymouth, New Zealand; and was a Merchant Sailor; joined the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, 20 May, 1915; and was drowned on the transport Marquette, when that ship was torpedoed in the Ægean Sea, 23 Oct. 1915; unmarried. Three of his brothers, viz.: Timothy, Lawrence and Daniel, are on active service with the New Zealand Rifle Brigade. Source: Extract from The Roll of Honour, A Biographical record of all members of His Majesty's Naval and Military Forces who have fallen in the War, by the Marquis de Ruvigny, Volume I., The Standard Art Book Company, Ltd, December, 1916.

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