Neill, William
Private
No. 3450, 1st Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
Killed in action on Saturday 21 August 1915 (aged 45)
No known grave
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Helles Memorial, Gallipoli, Turkey (Panel 97 to 101)
Journey of Remembering Belfast Book of Honour
Lisburn’s Dead 1914 – 1919 (Friends’ School Lisburn WW1 Research Project)
BIOGRAPHY
In the Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914 – 1919 database it is recorded that William Neill was born in Drumbeg, Co Antrim, lived in Holywood, Co Down, and enlisted in Belfast.
In the CWGC Debt of Honour it is recorded that he was a son of Mrs John Neill of Drumbeg, Dunmurry, Belfast and the husband of Maggie Neill who lived at Sandymount, Ballyskeagh, Lambeg, Lisburn.
Private William Neill was wounded at Gallipoli on 29 June 1915 and was taken to hospital in Alexandria. He was 45 when he was killed in action at Gallipoli on 21 August 1915 and at the time both of his sons-in-law were on active service. He has no known grave.
Private William Neill is commemorated in the Belfast Book of Honour (Page 502) and in Lisburn’s Dead 1914 – 1919 (Friends’ School Lisburn WW1 Research Project).
William Neill was born on 24 May 1867 at Ballyskeagh, Lambeg, and he was a son of John and Jane Neill (nee McDermott) who were married on 2 December 1864 in Lisburn Church of Ireland Cathedral. John Neill (aged 25), a labourer from Lambeg was a son of Francis Neill, a labourer. Jane McDermott (aged 22) from Lisburn was a daughter of William McDermott, a labourer.
William Neill worked as a bleacher, and he and Margaret (Maggie) Shields (sometimes Sheals) were married on 24 August 1889 in Lincoln, Rhode Island, USA. They had seven children:
Mary Frances (born 1 July 1890 at Ballyskeagh, Lambeg; married Robert Irvine 24 April 1913 in Lambeg Parish Church of Ireland Church)
Sarah Jane (born 21 July 1892 at Ballyskeagh, Lambeg; married William John Bruce 21 August 1914 in Derriaghy Parish Church of Ireland Church)
Elizabeth Brice Coates (Lizzie, born 17 January 1895 at Ballyskeagh, Lambeg)
John (born 12 November 1897 at Ballyskeagh, Lambeg; died of pneumonia 10 September 1902)
Eleanor (born 28 March 1900 at Ballyskeagh, Lambeg)
William Francis (born 29 June 1903 at Ballyskeagh, Lambeg)
Wilhelmina Margaret (born 25 September 1907 at Ballyskeagh, Lambeg)