Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of John Macquarie and Jessie Hassall ANTILL

Death of Major-General J. M. Antill
The late Major-General J. M. Antill, C.B., C.M.G., was born at Jarvisfield, Picton, on January 26, 1 866 finished his education at the Sydney Grammar School, and then joined the Public Service. Joined  the Reserves in 1886, and was a private in the Mounted Rifles in 1888. He was the first officer sent to India by Major General Hutton in 1893, and on his return to Australia in 1894 was placed on the  permanent staff. General Antill was the first officer to leave Australia for the South African War. He was in charge of the 1 st Contingent. He was awarded his C.B. and C.M.G. in Africa, and was (and is)  the only recipient of the Order of the Bath who was decorated as such under the rank of Field Officer, being at the time a captain. In the Great War he was in charge and in command of the final phases of the evacuation of Gallipoli and the last soldier to leave Anzac. He afterwards commanded in Egypt — as he did in Gallipoli — the 3rd A.L.H. Brigade, 8th, 9th, and 10th Regiments A.L.H. , and in  Belgium and France the 2nd, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th Battalions, A.I.F. Brigades. On account of ill-health he was retired from active service in France, and after his return to Australia was appointed Commandant of the South Australian Forces, and remained there until he reached the retiring age. General Antill was the only soldier who could claim that he or an ancestor had fought for the Sovereign of the British Empire in every continent in the world. He was one of six officers who received a particular medal in South Africa, the others being Generals French, Allenby, Haig, Roberts, and  Kitchener, all now deceased. No permanent officer in Australia ever held a commission as long as General Antill. He was a born soldier.