NEILSON, John Hunter
| Service Number: | 6831 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 26 October 1916, Newcastle, New South Wales |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 8th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Mount Kembla, New South Wales, Australia, 15 September 1890 |
| Home Town: | West Wallsend, Lake Macquarie Shire, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Minmi Public School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Locomotive Engine Driver |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Belgium, 10 October 1917, aged 27 years |
| Cemetery: |
Birr Cross Roads Cemetery Originally noted as no known grave, his name was commemorated on Panel 7 of the Menin Gate Memorial. A re-dedication service was held 20 September 2015 at the Birr Cross Roads Cemetery, Belgium, where he is now buried in Plot IV; Row E; Grave 11. |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Menin Gate Memorial (Commonwealth Memorial to the Missing of the Ypres Salient) |
World War 1 Service
| 26 Oct 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Newcastle, New South Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| 17 Nov 1916: |
Involvement
AIF WW1, Private, 6831, 8th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: SS Port Napier embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' |
|
| 17 Nov 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 6831, 8th Infantry Battalion, SS Port Napier, Sydney | |
| 10 Oct 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 6831, 8th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres |
Killed in Action
October 17th, 1918.
Mrs. G.M. Jackson.,
Plymouth. Devon.
Dear Madam.
Your letter of 12th inst., has been forwarded to us from Carlton House Terrace for our attention.
With reference to your enquiry for - 6831 Pte. John Neilson, 8th Battalion. A.I.F. We much regret to inform you that he is now officially reported to have been “Killed in Action" on 10-10-17, having previously been reported missing on that date.
In spite of our efforts to do so we have never been able to obtain definite particulars concerning his fate, and we have now reluctantly been compelled to remove his name from our enquiry list to make room for more recent casualties.
6791 Pte. C.M. Love & 2650 Pte. W.G. Thomson of the same unit both state that they last saw Pte. Neilson badly wounded in both legs in the Ypres attack. Pte. Thomson adds that he believes he was taken by stretcher bearers to a dressing station at Westhook Ridge 3/4 mile from where he was hit. As no further information has ever been obtained concerning Pte. Neilson we fear that he must have sustained a further casualty on the way to the dressing station. Regretting we should have to forward such and news and assuring Pte. Neilson's cousin of our sincere sympathy.
Yours faithfully,
Submitted 2 November 2014 by Wayne Neilson
Biography
September 2015
The final resting place of Pte John (Jock) NEILSON was previously under a headstone bearing the inscriptions “A Soldier of the Great War” in the Birr Cross Roads Cemetery, Belgium. It was identified (along with others) by researchers Andrew Pittaway and Dennis Frank of the volunteer group Fallen Diggers.
PRIOR to September 2015
War Grave Register notes: NEILSON, Pte. John, 6831. 8th Bn. 10th Oct., 1917. Age 27. Son of Alexander and Jessie Hunter Neilson, of Seaham, No. 2 Colliery, West Wallsend, Newcastle, New South Wales. Native of Mount Kembla, New South Wales.
Source: AWM145 Roll of Honour cards, 1914-1918 War, Army
Location on the Roll of Honour
John Neilson's name is located at panel 53 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial (as indicated by the poppy on the plan).
Click images to start slideshow.