SAPPER EDWARD NEIL
1377 – 1st Tunnelling Company
Redbank, via Brisbane, Queensland was given as the birthplace of Edward Neil about 1888 the son of Edward Neil. In 1913 his address was Redbank and he was a labourer.
At the Recruiting Depot in Townsville, Qld on September 13, 1915 the twenty-eight year old labourer enlisted for active service abroad. Passing the medical examination personal information was given to complete Attestation Forms. He was 171cms (5ft 7½ins) tall, weighed 64kgs (141lbs) with a chest expansion of 85-92cms (33½-36ins). Dark was his complexion with brown eyes and dark brown hair. A birth mark on his left arm was classed as a distinctive mark. Presbyterian was his religion and his sister Mrs J. McWhae of Redbank via Brisbane was nominated as next-of-kin. He signed and took ‘the Oath of Allegiance’ the same day.
Basic training commenced with the Mining Corps Depot (1st Military District) on September 13 until December 31, 1915 when he was transferred to the Mining Corps (2nd Military District) on January 3, 1916. He was assigned to the 1st Reinforcements of the Corps at Casula camp, NSW on February 12, 1916 and had the regimental number 1377 in the rank of Sapper.
At a civic parade in the Domain, Sydney on Saturday February 19, 1916, a large crowd of relations and friends of the departing Miners lined the four sides of the parade ground. Sixty police and 100 Garrison Military Police were on hand to keep the crowds within bounds. The scene was an inspiriting one. On the extreme right flank, facing the saluting base, were companies of the Rifle Club School; next came a detachment of the 4th King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, then the bands of the Light Horse, Liverpool Depot, and the Miners’ on the left, rank upon rank, the Miners’ Battalion.
The Corps boarded HMAT A38 Ulysses in Sydney, NSW on February 20 and sailed for the European theatre. Arriving in Melbourne, Victoria on February 22 the Miners camped at Broadmeadows for a stay of 7 days while further cargo was loaded.
Another parade was held at the Broadmeadows camp on March 1, the Miners’ Corps being inspected by the Governor-General, as Commander-in-Chief of the Commonwealth military forces.
Leaving Melbourne on March 1, Ulysses arrived at Fremantle, Western Australia on March 7 where a further 53 members were taken on board.
On Wednesday March 8, 1916 the whole force, with their band and equipment, paraded at Fremantle prior to leaving Victoria Quay at 9.30 o’clock.
The ship hit a reef when leaving Fremantle harbour, stripping the plates for 40 feet and, although there was a gap in the outside plate, the inner bilge plates were not punctured. The men on board nicknamed her ‘Useless’. The Miners were off-loaded and sent to the Blackboy Hill Camp where further training was conducted.
The Mining Corps comprised 1303 members at the time they embarked with a Headquarters of 40; No.1 Company – 390; No.2 Company – 380; No.3 Company – 392, and 101 members of the 1st Reinforcements.
Finally departing Fremantle on April 1, Ulysses voyaged via Suez, Port Said and Alexandria in Egypt. The Captain of the shipwas reluctantto take Ulysses out of the Suez Canal because he felt the weight of the ship made it impossible to manoeuvre in the situation of a submarine attack. The troops were transhipped to HM Transport B.1 Ansonia, then on to Valetta, Malta before disembarking at Marseilles, France on May 5, 1916. As a unit they entrained at Marseilles on May 7 and detrained on May 11 at Hazebrouck.
A ‘Mining Corps’ did not fit in the British Expeditionary Force, and the Corps was disbanded and three Australian Tunnelling Companies were formed. The Technical Staff of the Corps Headquarters, plus some technically qualified men from the individual companies, was formed into the entirely new Australian Electrical and Mechanical Mining and Boring Company (AEMMBC), better known as the ‘Alphabetical Company’.
On November 21, 1916 he went to the 6th London Field Ambulance for dental treatment and returned to his unit a day later.
He was admitted to the 6th London Field Ambulance on December 17, 1916 with Pyrexia (Fever) and moved to the 17th Casualty Clearing Station the following day and transferred on December 23 to the 3rd Canadian General Hospital in Boulogne with Bronchitis.
While in hospital Sapper Neil was transferred to the 1st Tunnelling Company in the field on December 24, 1916.
On January 24, 1917 suffering from P.U.O (Pyrexia Uncertain Origin – not enteric) he was transported to England on the hospital ship St Patrick and admitted to the 3rd Southern General Hospital in Oxford for observation of his condition classed as slight.
He was discharged on March 5, 1917 to the No. 1 Command Depot at Perham Downs classified with debility B1A. Marched into the Drafting Depot on April 6 then went to Camp Headquarters the next day.
Proceeded overseas from Folkstone to France on May 5 and arrived at the Aust General Base Depot in Rouelles the day after. On June 6 he left to rejoin his unit arriving two days later.
Taken to the 42nd Field Ambulance suffering Myalgia (Muscular Pain) on September 3, 1917 was transferred to the 14th Divisional Rest Station but later that day moved to the 44th Field Ambulance progressing to the 97th Field Ambulance then rest at the 4th A.F.A. After a week he was admitted to the 2nd Aust C.C.S. but his condition was not stated. The day after he was conveyed on A.T.5 to the 1st South African General Hospital at Abbeville and admitted with Myalgia.
On September 26 he was transported to England on the hospital ship St Denis and entered the Northampton War Hospital at Northampton remaining a patient until October 18 when discharged to the 1st Aust Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield for five days.
At the end of his convalescent period reported to the No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth on October 23, 1917 for final medical assessment which recommended his return to Australia for a change due to Coccydynia (Pain in coccyx area –lowest spine bone) and Lumbago.
Sapper Neil embarked on the return voyage to Australia on the H.T. A34 Persic on December 21, 1917 for a change due to coccydynia and lumbago. His next-of-kin was advised by Base Records that he was returning home. The ship docked on February 12, 1918 in Melbourne, Vic (3rd M.D.) and he returned to Brisbane, Qld (1st M.D.) soon after.
Military Discharge was issued on March 17, 1918 in Brisbane (1st M.D.) due to being medically unfit. He returned to Redbank, via Brisbane to work as a labourer.
The British War Medal (12229) and the Victory Medal (12020) were issued to Sapper 1377 Edward Neil, 1st Tunnelling Company for serving his country.
On March 28, 1925 he married Edith Victoria May Seales possibly is Brisbane, Qld.
A Statement of his Service was prepared and sent to the Repatriation Commission in Brisbane on April 5, 1924.
Seventeen years later on April 8, 1941 another Statement of Service was forwarded to the Repatriation Commission.
His residence remained as Redbank until 1943 when it changed to Upland Terrace, Wynnum, Brisbane, Qld and his occupation was a labourer.
Edward Neil died on January 17, 1958 aged 72 years in Brisbane, Qld.Arrangements were reported in The Courier-Mail on Monday January 20, 1958:
The burial location is in Grave no 597 in the Lawn Portion of the Hemmant Cemetery, Brisbane, Qld.
His wife passed away on August 5, 1994 aged 94 years and is in the same plot.
© Donna Baldey 2011