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John O'Neill (VC)
Encyclopedia
John O'Neill VC
MM
(also spelt O'Niell) (10 February 1897 - 16 October 1942) was a Scottish
recipient of the Victoria Cross
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
and Commonwealth
forces.
He was 21 years old, and a sergeant
in the 2nd Battalion, Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment
, British Army
during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 14 October 1918 near Moorseele, Belgium
, when the advance of his company was checked by two machine-guns and an enemy field battery firing over open sights, Sergeant O'Neill, with 11 men only, charged the battery, capturing four field guns, two machine-guns and 16 prisoners. Again on the morning of 20 October with one man he rushed an enemy machine-gun position, routing about 100 and causing many casualties.
He also served in the RAF as an Armourer Sergeant when he served alongside Lawrence of Arabia.
In 1940 he was commissioned into the Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps as a Lieutenant
. defending Liverpool's docklands from air attack.
John O'Neill died of heart attack on the 16 October 1942. He is buried in Trinity Road Cemetery, Hoylake, Wirral.
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
MM
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
(also spelt O'Niell) (10 February 1897 - 16 October 1942) was a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces.
He was 21 years old, and a sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
in the 2nd Battalion, Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment
Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment
The Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 100th Regiment of Foot and the 109th Regiment of Foot...
, British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 14 October 1918 near Moorseele, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, when the advance of his company was checked by two machine-guns and an enemy field battery firing over open sights, Sergeant O'Neill, with 11 men only, charged the battery, capturing four field guns, two machine-guns and 16 prisoners. Again on the morning of 20 October with one man he rushed an enemy machine-gun position, routing about 100 and causing many casualties.
He also served in the RAF as an Armourer Sergeant when he served alongside Lawrence of Arabia.
In 1940 he was commissioned into the Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps as a Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
. defending Liverpool's docklands from air attack.
John O'Neill died of heart attack on the 16 October 1942. He is buried in Trinity Road Cemetery, Hoylake, Wirral.