More about John John McNeil

John McNeil, a Millworker, was the husband of Mrs Christina McNeil of 93 Peddie Street but they lived at 7 Irelands Lane, Dundee when he volunteered in November 1914. He joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve onboard HMS Unicorn for service in the Royal Naval Division. After initial Naval Training at the Crystal Palace in South London he was sent to Blandford Camp in Dorset for advanced military training. On completion he was drafted to C Company of the Collingwood Battalion being trained at Blandford. The Collingwood Battalion landed in Gallipoli in late May 1915 and took part in the Third Battle of Krithia on 4 June 1915.This was their first and last action because, as they advanced towards the enemy line, they were caught in heavy Turkish artillery and machinegun fire. The number of dead and wounded was very high and the Battalion was disbanded two days later. The survivors were distributed to the other RND battalions to replace their losses and John McNeil was transferred to the Anson Battalion. In August he was received a gunshot wound to his right forearm and was evacuated to Alexandria for treatment. On recovery he was sent to the RND Base Camp in Alexandria and returned to the Anson Battalion on Gallipoli in October. He survived the rest of the campaign and spent time on garrison duties on Aegean Islands. In May 1916 the Anson Battalion sailed to Marseille to join in the fighting on the Western Front. At the beginning of November he was advanced to Leading Seaman but was gassed on during the preparations for the last of the Somme battles. He was evacuated to the Reading War Hospital in England and recovered by January 1917 when he was granted seven days leave in Dundee. After his leave he reported gain to Blandford where he remained until July when he again returned to the Anson Battalion in France. In September he was advanced to Petty Officer and had a spell out of the line in October at the 19 Corps Re-enforcement Camp. In March 1918 he received a spell of home leave but returned in early April. In May he was reported as wounded and missing which was later revised by the International Red Cross Committee to being wounded and a Prisoner of War. Unfortunately, this was later found to be a case of mistaken identity. In January 1919 his widow was informed that John McNeil was assumed killed in action and his name is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial.