O'NEILL, John Albert
| Service Number: | 2267 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 June 1915, Rifle Club Sth Gippsland |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | Australian Provost Corps |
| Born: | Alberton West, Victoria, Australia, November 1888 |
| Home Town: | Alberton West, Wellington, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Morbus Cordis, Mitral Regurgitation & Heart failure, Kitchener Military Hospital, Brighton, Sussex, England, United Kingdom, 25 November 1919 |
| Cemetery: |
Brighton Borough Cemetery, East Sussex, England Brighton City Cemetery (Bear Road), Brighton, Sussex, England, United Kingdom |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Yarram WW1 War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 1 Jun 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2267, 12th Infantry Battalion, Rifle Club Sth Gippsland | |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Jun 1915: | Involvement Private, 2267, 12th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: HMAT Wandilla embarkation_ship_number: A62 public_note: '' | |
| 25 Jun 1915: | Embarked Private, 2267, 12th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Wandilla, Fremantle | |
| 27 Aug 1917: | Honoured Military Medal, The Outpost Villages - German Withdrawal to Hindenburg Line, February 1917, “for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. Private CLARKE & O’NEILL, were stretcher bearers and were untiring in their efforts to carry back wounded men over exceedingly heavy country, the rapid advance of the battalion making this a very long and arduous task. Private CLARKE was previously recommended for work at MOUQUET FARM.” | |
| 20 Sep 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 2267, 12th Infantry Battalion, Menin Road, SW left arm | |
| 1 Aug 1918: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, Anzac Provost Corps | |
| 14 Feb 1919: | Promoted AIF WW1, Second Corporal, Anzac Provost Corps | |
| 25 Nov 1919: | Involvement Corporal, 2267, Australian Provost Corps , --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 2267 awm_unit: Australian Provost Corps awm_rank: Corporal awm_died_date: 1919-11-25 |
Help us honour John Albert O'Neill's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Faithe Jones
Commemorated on his parent's grave at Genmount Cemetery, Yarram
Biography contributed by Evan Evans
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland
Died on this date – 25th November…… John Albert O’Neill was born at Alberton (listed on Attestation Papers as “West Albert”), South Gippsland, Victoria in 1888. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 1st June, 1915 as a 26 year old, single, Labourer from Alberton West, South Gippsland, Victoria.
Private John Albert O’Neill embarked from Adelaide, South Australia on 23rd June, 1915 with 6th Reinforcements of 12th Battalion. He proceeded from Alexandria to join M.E.F. (Mediterranean Expeditionary Force) at Gallipoli per Kingstonian on 11th September, 1915 & was taken on strength of 12th Battalion at Gallipoli on 17th September, 1915.
On 6th January, 1916 Private O’Neill disembarked at Alexandria (after the evacuation of Gallipoli).
He proceeded to join B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Force) from Alexandria on 29th March, 1916 on Troopship Corsican & disembarked at Marseilles, France on 5th April, 1916.
Private John Albert O’Neill was recommended to be Mentioned in Despatches on 1st August, 1916. He was recommended along with other members of the 12th Battalion - Private Edward Harding, 2845; Private Wilfred Stone, 3089; Private Albert Arthur Reader, 168; Private Victor James Chilcott, 2823 “For conspicuous gallantry & devotion to duty during operations 23-25th July, 1916 at POZIERES. They were stretcher bearers during the whole of this period & with great courage & Coolness carried many wounded men across shell swept areas to dressing station.”
On 1st March, 1917 Private John Albert O’Neill was recommended for the Military Medal. Private Samuel John Clarke, 2229 & Private John Albert O’Neill, 2267, both from 12th Battalion were recommended for the Military Medal by C. O. (Commanding Officer) 12th Battalion
“for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. Private CLARKE & O’NEILL, were stretcher bearers and were untiring in their efforts to carry back wounded men over exceedingly heavy country, the rapid advance of the battalion making this a very long and arduous task. Private CLARKE was previously recommended for work at MOUQUET FARM.”
Private John Albert O’Neill was awarded the Military Medal. (London Gazette – 11 May 1917 & Commonwealth of Australia Gazette – 27 August 1917).
Private John Albert O’Neill was wounded in action in Belgium between 19 & 20th September, 1917. He was admitted to 6th Australia Field Ambulance on 20th September, 1917 with Shrapnel wounds to left arm. Private O’Neill was transferred & admitted to 10th Casualty Clearing Station on 20th September, 1917 then transferred & admitted to 16th General Hospital at Le Treport, France on 21st September, 1917 with G.S.W. (gunshot wound/s) to left arm. He was marked for transfer to England on 26th September, 1917 & embarked for England on Hospital Ship St. Denis on 27th September, 1917.
He was admitted to 2nd Military Hospital, Old Park, Canterbury, England on 27th September, 1917 with G.S.W. to left arm (slight). Private O'Neill was transferred to 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford on 3rd October, 1917 & discharged to Depot at Weymouth on 19th October, 1917.
Private O’Neill was transferred from No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth, Dorset to No. 1 Command Depot at Sutton Veny, Wiltshire on 27th November, 1917. He rejoined No. 1 Command Depot at Sutton Veny from furlough on 13th December, 1917. He was medically classified as B1 A3 (fit for overseas training camp in 2 – 3 weeks).
On 1st August, 1918 Private O’Neill was attached to Australian Provost Corps for duty. He was promoted to 2nd Corporal on 10th February, 1919. 2nd Corporal O’Neill was on leave from Tidworth from 23rd April, 1919 until 29th April, 1919.
Mrs Ellen O’Neill, Stacey Bridge, Victoria, mother of 2nd Corporal John Albert O’Neill, wrote to Base Records on 2rd August, 1919 asking for “any information re the welfare and whereabouts of my son 2267 Private J. A. O’Neill, M.M. & Bar, Provost Corps..” Base Records replied on 6th August, 1919 stating it was “anticipated that he will be returning home very shortly, and upon receipt of advice to the effect that he has embarked for Australia, you will be promptly advised.”
2nd Corporal John Albert O’Neill was doing duty with Provost Corps at Tidworth on 1st September, 1919. He was marched out to A.I.F. Detention Barracks at Lewes on 11th September, 1919.
On 30th September, 1919 2nd Corporal John Albert O’Neill was eligible for 15 days extra disembarkation leave.
He was admitted to Kitchener Military Hospital, Brighton, Sussex, England on 3rd November, 1919 dangerously ill with acute Bronchitis.
2nd Corporal John Albert O’Neill died at 2.15 am on 25th November, 1919 at Kitchener Military Hospital, Brighton, Sussex, England from Morbus Cordis, Mitral Regurgitation & Heart failure. A communication from the Commandant, A.I.F. Headquarters stated the cause of death of 2nd Corporal John Albert O’Neill was “valvular disease of the heart.”
He was buried in Brighton City (Bear Road) Cemetery, East Sussex, England where 28 other WW1 Australian (or connected to Australia) War Graves are located.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/bear-road.html
Click images to start slideshow.