George McMahon (assassin)
Encyclopedia
George McMahon was an Irish journalist and would be assassin of King Edward VIII when, on 16 July 1936, he pulled a gun as the king was riding through Hyde Park
after leaving an army parade during the Colour
ceremony. However, police quickly acted and managed to disarm him after a struggle with the revolver falling under Edward's carriage as continued safely down Constitution Hill
. McMahon, a right-wing extremist angered by the Home Secretary
, was thought to be mentally ill and later claimed to have been working for MI5
.
McMahon had earlier attempted to provide questionable evidence of Irish and Republican plots against the British government, including a claim of plans to ship weapons to the Irish Free State
in 1935 as well as reports of Italian agents operation from the Italian embassy, before publishing anti-semitic literature and other letters to The Daily Worker.
Although under the attention of the Security Service
, his warnings against a supposed assassination plot by Communists were ignored and, two days later, he managed to throw a loaded revolver at the King during a parade before being arrested by the Metropolitan Police
on 16 July 1936.
McMahon was subsequently sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, however, shortly after his release he continued his subversive activities. During November 1939, he claimed in a letter to have had a personal audience with senior Nazi official Julius Streicher
the previous year and offered information from that meeting to British authorities.
The following year, he began sending anti-Semitic letters (which included an attack on Minister of War Leslie Hoare-Belisha) using War Office letterhead
s on the pretext of official government communications. McMahon continued to be under the surveillance of the Security Service between 1945 until 1951, and intercepted several letters including one to Oswald Mosley
.
Hyde Park, London
Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in central London, United Kingdom, and one of the Royal Parks of London, famous for its Speakers' Corner.The park is divided in two by the Serpentine...
after leaving an army parade during the Colour
Trooping the Colour
Trooping the Colour is a ceremony performed by regiments of the British and the Commonwealth armies. It has been a tradition of British infantry regiments since the 17th century, although the roots go back much earlier. On battlefields, a regiment's colours, or flags, were used as rallying points...
ceremony. However, police quickly acted and managed to disarm him after a struggle with the revolver falling under Edward's carriage as continued safely down Constitution Hill
Constitution Hill, London
Constitution Hill is a road in the City of Westminster in London. It connects the western end of The Mall with Hyde Park Corner, and is bordered by Buckingham Palace Gardens and Green Park. The term "Hill" is something of a misnomer; there is barely detectable slope but most observers would...
. McMahon, a right-wing extremist angered by the Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
, was thought to be mentally ill and later claimed to have been working for MI5
MI5
The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 , is the United Kingdom's internal counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its core intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service focused on foreign threats, Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence...
.
McMahon had earlier attempted to provide questionable evidence of Irish and Republican plots against the British government, including a claim of plans to ship weapons to the Irish Free State
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
in 1935 as well as reports of Italian agents operation from the Italian embassy, before publishing anti-semitic literature and other letters to The Daily Worker.
Although under the attention of the Security Service
MI5
The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 , is the United Kingdom's internal counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its core intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service focused on foreign threats, Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence...
, his warnings against a supposed assassination plot by Communists were ignored and, two days later, he managed to throw a loaded revolver at the King during a parade before being arrested by the Metropolitan Police
Metropolitan police
Metropolitan Police is a generic title for the municipal police force for a major metropolitan area, and it may be part of the official title of the force...
on 16 July 1936.
McMahon was subsequently sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, however, shortly after his release he continued his subversive activities. During November 1939, he claimed in a letter to have had a personal audience with senior Nazi official Julius Streicher
Julius Streicher
Julius Streicher was a prominent Nazi prior to World War II. He was the founder and publisher of Der Stürmer newspaper, which became a central element of the Nazi propaganda machine...
the previous year and offered information from that meeting to British authorities.
The following year, he began sending anti-Semitic letters (which included an attack on Minister of War Leslie Hoare-Belisha) using War Office letterhead
Letterhead
A letterhead is the heading at the top of a sheet of letter paper . That heading usually consists of a name and an address, and a logo or corporate design, and sometimes a background pattern...
s on the pretext of official government communications. McMahon continued to be under the surveillance of the Security Service between 1945 until 1951, and intercepted several letters including one to Oswald Mosley
Oswald Mosley
Sir Oswald Ernald Mosley, 6th Baronet, of Ancoats, was an English politician, known principally as the founder of the British Union of Fascists...
.