Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Vincent was the son of Edward Joseph NEAGLE & Susan Julia Teresa SPAIN and was born on the 20th of September 1894 in Solomontown, Port Pirie, SA.

His parents were married on the 14th of February 1888 at the residence of Susan’s parents, Telowie, SA.

His father was the son of James NEAGLE & Margaret HEWITT and was born in 1860 in Peachey Belt, SA.
His mother was the daughter of Martin SPAIN & Bridget MEAGHER and was born on the 15th of October 1866 in Virginia, SA.

Vincent was the fourth child born into this family of 6 children.

His father was a farmer in Pt Pirie, but a few bad seasons compelled him to relinquish it and he gained work at the Smelters.
He was not a well man and the smelter work became too heavy for him so he secured the district Agency for the Singer Company.

The family was then transferred to Pt Augusta and lived in Mackey Street, Pt Augusta.

Sadly, Vincent was only 5 years old when his father died on the 26th of July 1900 at their home, from consumption of the throat and they buried him in the Pt Pirie Cemetery.

His mother then moved the family to Pt Germein where she ran a boarding and lodging house and Vincent attended the Pt Germein School.
They then moved back to Solomontown in 1908 and he attended the St Anthony’s School.

Vincent attended the 81c Pt Pirie Senior Cadets and then transferred to the 81st Infantry Battalion.

In 1912 his mother purchased a home at 23 Prince Street, Pt Pirie and then in May 1916 she sold the home and moved the family to 172 Halifax Street, Adelaide and Vincent gained employment as a machinist.

At the age of 21, Vincent enlisted into the AIF on the 11th of May 1916 in Adelaide, SA and was allotted the service number 2234 and posted to A Company, 2nd Depot Battalion in Mitcham Camp.

His brother James enlisted with him on the 11th of May and was allotted the service number 2233, one prior to Vincent.
On the 16th of June Vincent and James were transferred to the 50th Battalion, 4th Reinforcements and the brothers embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT Ballarat on the 12th of August 1916.
They disembarked in Devonport on the 30th of September and trained at Codford before proceeding to France on the 2nd of December.

Vincent suffered from Mumps and was wounded twice whilst overseas, but sadly James was Killed in Action on the 18th of October 1917 at Broodseinde Ridge.

After nearly 3 years overseas Vincent embarked for Australia on the 15th of June 1919 on board HMAT Swakopmund and disembarked in Adelaide on the 30th of July.

Vincent was discharged from the AIF on the 14th of September 1919.

He returned home to live with his mother, who had moved to 154 William Street, Norwood and gained employment as an Oxy Welder .

Vincent married Dora Winifred DOLLAND on the 13th of April 1925 in the Queen of Angels Church, Thebarton, SA.
Dora was the daughter of Matthew DOLLARD & Catherine Jane FITZPATRICK and was born on the 27th of October 1898 in Frome, SA.

They lived with Vincent’s mother at 154 William Street, Norwood in 1922 and Vincent was farming.
They welcomed Desmond Ignatius into the family on the 18th of January 1927, but sadly he died on the 31st of January at 13 days old and they buried him in the West Terrace Cemetery.

They then welcomed Brendan Edward on the 3rd of December 1928.
In 1937 they moved to 30 Waterloo Street, Glenelg and then the following year they moved to 45 Henry Street, Glenelg.

Vincent was employed as a metal worker and he joined the Glenelg RSL and they later moved to 45 High Street, Glenelg.

Dora died on the 25th of February 1959 and Vincent buried her in the Brighton Cemetery.

Vincent died on the 17th of August 1967 and was buried with Dora in the Brighton Cemetery.

Military

At the age of 21, Vincent enlisted into the AIF on the 11th of May 1916 in Adelaide, SA and was allotted the service number 2234 and posted to A Company, 2nd Depot Battalion in Mitcham Camp.
He listed his mother, of 172 Halifax Street, Adelaide, as his next of kin.

His brother James enlisted with him on the 11th of May and was allotted the service number 2233, one prior to Vincent.

On the 16th of June Vincent and James were transferred to the 50th Battalion, 4th Reinforcements.

Both brothers embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT Ballarat on the 12th of August 1916, disembarked in Devonport on the 30th of September and entrained to the 13th Training Battalion in Codford.
They remained here in training for 8 weeks and then on the 2nd of December they proceeded to France on board SS Princess Victoria.

On the 23rd of December the brothers were taken on strength with the 50th Battalion, who was in camp at St Vaast.
The following day Vincent was admitted into the 4th Australian Field Ambulance, suffering with the Mumps. He was then transferred to the 39th Casualty Clearing Station at Allonville and 2 days later he was transferred by Ambulance Train to the 25th Stationary Hospital in Rouen.

He remained here until the 11th of January 1917 when he was discharged to No.2 Command Depot, Rouen and then he rejoined James and his Battalion on the 20th of January in the front line trenches at Bezantin.

They were relieved on the 27th of January and moved to Perth Camp, at Bernafay and after 3 weeks here they relieved the 51st Battalion in the front line.
Ten days later, they moved to Bazentin and then onto Buire for further training and reorganisation.

On the 22nd of March they moved to Mametz Camp before they took over the front line south of Noreuil.

They then participated in the advance that followed the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line and attacked at Noreuil on the 2nd of April.
During this attack Vincent suffered a Gun Shot Wound to his left leg and was admitted into the 13th Australian Field Ambulance and transferred by Ambulance Train to the 14th General Hospital in Wimereux.

He was then invalided to England on board HS St Andrew on the 12th of April and admitted into the 3rd London General Hospital in Wandsworth.
Vincent spent the next 3 months here before he was discharged to 2 weeks furlough on the 10th of July and then reported to No.1 Command Depot in Perham Downs and classed B1A (fit for light duty).

On the 15th of August Vincent was posted to the Bhurtpore Barracks in Tidworth (Home to the 1st Medical Regiment) and attached for duty to the ANZAC Provost Corps.
Whilst here he suffered from a Venereal Disease and was admitted into the 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital in Burford for 10 days before being discharged to No.1 Convalescent Training Depot in Hurdcott on the 13th.

During his time here his brother James and the 50th Battalion had entrained to Ypres and moved into the front line at Broodseinde Ridge.
Vincent would never see James again as James was killed in action here on the 18th of October 1917.

On the 23rd of October Vincent was posted to No.3 Command Depot in Hurdcott and classified B1A4 (fit for overseas training camp). He was then transferred to No.1 Command Depot in Sutton Veny and then on the 28th of November he was posted to the Overseas Training Brigade at Sandhill Camp, Longbridge Deverille.
He spent Christmas 1917 here and then proceeded to France on the 27th of December and rejoined his Battalion on the 1st of January 1918 at Moislains.

They then moved to Peronne, entrained to Bailleul and marched to Strazeele. From Strazeele they entrained to Elzenwalle and marched into Tournai Camp.
They then entrained at Gordon and detrained at Manor Farm and relieved the 47th Battalion in the front line.

On the 23rd of January they moved to Ridgewood Camp to rest and reorganise.
They then spent the early part of March in Kemmel Shelters before moving to the Lillers area.

By this time the German Army had launched a major offensive on the Western Front and the 4th Division was deployed to defend positions south of the River Ancre in France.
On the 5th of April Vincent and his Battalion where at Dernancourt and they assisted in the repulse of the largest German attack mounted against Australian troops during the war. The German threat persisted through April, and on ANZAC Day 1918 the 50th Battalion participated in the now- legendary attack to dislodge the enemy from Villers-Bretonneux.

For the next 3 months they rotated in and out of the front line at Blangy-Tronville, Daours and the Camon Area.
They then continued to play an active role during the Allies' own offensive, launched on the 8th of August 1918 and found themselves in the front line just south of Bray.

Three days later, on the 11th of August, Vincent suffered a Gun Shot Wound to his right shoulder and was admitted into the 13th Australian Field Ambulance and transferred to the 55th Casualty Clearing Station at Vecquemont.
Two days later he was transferred to the 5th General Hospital in Rouen where he spent 11 days before being discharged to No.2 Convalescent Depot.

He was then transferred to No.11 Convalescent Depot at Buchy and rejoined his Battalion on the 2nd of October at billets in Ferrieres.
They spent all of October here in rest and training before entraining for Brancourt on the 10th of November.
Whilst en route, they stopped at St. Quentin where they received the news of the Armistice.

By the 13th they had reached Brancourt and then marched into Fresnoy-le-Grand on the 15th.
They then moved through St. Souplet, Favril, Le Petit-Fayt, Sains-du-Nord and had arrived at Sivry by the end of November.
In mid December they moved to Dinant and this is where Vincent spent his last Christmas Day away from family and friends in a foreign land.

Vincent marched out on the 30th of March and then embarked for England on the 8th of April and marched in the 3rd Training Brigade Command Depot.

Vincent embarked for Australia on the 15th of June 1919 on board HMAT Swakopmund and disembarked in Adelaide on the 30th of July.

Vincent was discharged from the AIF on the 14th of September 1919 and awarded the British War & Victory Medals.