Roll of Honor
Incident
At lunchtime Reserve Constable Magill was walking to a shop in the town square near the RUC Station in Warrenpoint, Co Down.
As he reached the shop and was entering terrorists ran towards him and automatic gunfire burst out striking Constable Magill 13 times and narrowly missing a number of children outside the shop.
A grenade was thrown at the RUC station, it exploded smashing some windows and caused damage to a nearby house. The terrorists ran off to a waiting car and fled.
The local chemist ran out and went to the aid of the R/Con Magill and he was rushed to Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry but was pronounced dead on arrival.
From Belfast he had less than three years service with the RUC. Survived by his mother and father.
Following a service in the Shankill Baptist Church he was laid to rest in Roselawn Cemetry.
In Our Keeping
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BO-GB-RUC-37E1ECF4- Stewardship
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- Added to badge.nw
- April 8, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Reserve Constable Magill served with the Royal Ulster Constabulary.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Reserve Constable Magill.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Reserve Constable William Edward Magill is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In NIR, 422 of 599 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 70.5% of this state's fallen. That is 16.3 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Royal Ulster Constabulary GC, 351 of 469 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 74.8% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William Edward Magill's cause is highlighted.
How William Edward Magill Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William Edward Magill is highlighted in Feb.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths.
Others Who Wore This Badge
468 officers from Royal Ulster Constabulary GC are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
