Bio

James McNicol was born in Motherwell, Scotland, in 1918. He came from a working-class family and grew up during the difficult years of the Great Depression. After leaving school, McNicol worked as a labourer at Motherwell Bridgework. In July 1939, shortly before the Second World War began, he joined the Royal Artillery.

McNicol served overseas in Africa and the Middle East. During his service, he contracted malaria and was treated with quinine. He later rose through the army ranks and became a sergeant by August 1944. By 1945, McNicol was stationed at Thorpe Bay near Southend, Essex, at a heavy anti-aircraft battery known as NAN1. He shared a hut with other sergeants, including Leonard William Cox and Donald Alfred Richard Kirkaldie. McNicol and Kirkaldie were described as close friends.

Before the shooting, McNicol had a brief relationship with Private Jean Neale. On August 16, 1945, a dance was held at the camp after the end of the war with Japan. McNicol had been drinking heavily that day, and an argument later developed at the camp.

Murder Story

On August 16, 1945, soldiers at the Thorpe Bay camp in Essex held a dance after the end of the war with Japan. James McNicol had been drinking heavily that day with other servicemen before returning to camp.

During the dance, McNicol became upset when he saw Private Jean Neale dancing with another man. He threw beer over the man, and an argument began. Sgt. Leonard Cox then became involved, and tension grew between him and McNicol.

Later that night, the argument continued near the sergeants’ hut. Cox and Sgt. Donald Alfred Richard Kirkaldie went back inside and secured the door so McNicol could not enter. McNicol then went to the command post and took a Lee-Enfield rifle.

McNicol returned to the hut, broke a window, and fired into the room. Cox was wounded, and Kirkaldie was shot in the throat. Kirkaldie died instantly from the injury.

After the shooting, McNicol ran from the camp and later buried the rifle in a field behind the Coastguard Station at Thorpe Bay. He was arrested the next day. McNicol admitted firing the rifle, but said he had not meant to kill Kirkaldie. He claimed he only wanted to frighten or wound Cox.

McNicol was tried at the Essex Assizes in Chelmsford in November 1945. He was charged with murder and attempted murder. His defence argued that he had been too drunk to form an intention to kill and asked the jury to consider manslaughter instead. The jury rejected that argument and found him guilty.

McNicol was sentenced to death. He appealed, but the appeal was dismissed. Supporters later gathered more than 20,000 signatures asking for mercy, but the Home Secretary refused to grant a reprieve. James McNicol was executed by hanging at Pentonville Prison on December 21, 1945.