George McMahon (failed assassin)

George Andrew Campbell McMahon (c.1902 - 1970), also known as Jerome Bannigan, was convicted for his failed assassination attempt against King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom at Hyde Park in London in 1936.

George McMahon
Born
Jerome Bannigan

c. 1902
Govan, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Died1970
Known forAttempted assassination of King Edward VIII at the 1936 Trooping the Colour ceremony
Conviction(s)Unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition to endanger life
Criminal penalty12 months imprisonment with hard labour
Details
Date16 July 1936
Location(s)Hyde Park, London
Target(s)King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom
WeaponsRevolver
Date apprehended
16 July 1936

Early life and career

McMahon was born as Jerome Bannigan in Govan, on the outskirts of Glasgow, Scotland.[1] His parents were natives of County Tyrone, Ireland.[2] Bannigan relocated to London from around 1926. Bannigan changed his name to George Andrew Campbell McMahon from 1933.[3] McMahon was a low-level fraudster and gun-runner to Abyssinia when he came to the Italians’ attention. They offered him cash for information about armaments.[4]

McMahon was a paid informant for the Security Service (later MI5) by 1935.[4]

1936 incident

On 16 July 1936, as Edward VIII rode through Hyde Park, following the Colour ceremony, McMahon produced a revolver.[5]

Bystanders – including a Mrs Alice Lawrence, who was standing next to McMahon – and members of the Metropolitan Police reportedly subdued McMahon, after a struggle, during which the unfired revolver fell near the king's horse as it continued down Constitution Hill.[5]

McMahon later stated in a 40-page document entitled "He Was My King" that he was hired by the Italian embassy in London to kill the King, but he deliberately botched the assassination attempt. His attempts to contact the security service and the Home Office had failed.[4]

McMahon was subsequently sentenced to 12 months imprisonment with hard labour on 14 September 1936, for possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.

References
  1. "Royal procession incident". Hartlepool Mail. 17 July 1936.
  2. "Royal procession incident". Hartlepool Mail. 17 July 1936.
  3. "Britain Hails Young Salesman For Saving King Edward's Life". The Province. 17 July 1936. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  4. Alberge, Dalya. "British state 'covered up plot to assassinate King Edward VIII'". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  5. Cook, Andrew (3 January 2003). "The plot thickens". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
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