A fine Great War ‘Mesopotamia 1917’ D.C.M. group of seven awarded to Company Sergeant-Major W. Neill, East Lancashire Regiment

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (6-7944 C.S. Mjr: W. Neill. 6/E. Lan: R.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State (9281 Cpl. W. Neill, E. Lanc: Regt.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (9281 Pte. W. Neill. E. Lanc: Regt.); 1914 Star, with clasp (7944 Pte. W. Neill. 2/E. Lan: R.); British War and Victory Medals (7944 W.O. Cl. 2. W. Neill. E. Lan. R.; Defence Medal, mounted on card for display, the Boer War medals with considerable edge bruising and contact marks, fine, the Q.S.A. with repaired and slack suspension, otherwise generally nearly very fine and better (7) £1,200-£1,600

D.C.M. London Gazette 1 May 1918:

‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. When in command of the company after all the officers had become casualties, he showed great initiative in reorganising the company when exposed to heavy fire. He remained in command of the company throughout the day and following night, and rendered exceptionally valuable service, displaying marked efficiency and energy on all occasions.’
Annotated gazette states: ‘Mesopotamia, 30 April 1917.’

William Neill was born at Burnley, Lancashire, on 1 September 1882, and originally enlisted into the 3rd East Lancashire Regiment on 24 January 1900, and served with the battalion in South Africa. He transferred to the Army Service Corps on 7 May 1902, but re-enlisted into the East Lancashire Regiment at Burnley on 21 September 1903. He served with the 1st Battalion at Home until May 1904, when he transferred to the 2nd Battalion and served with it in India until December 1911 when the Battalion moved to South Africa. Neill married whilst in South Africa and lived at Kent Road, Wynberg. He was still serving at Wynberg at the outbreak of the War when the Battalion was recalled, landing at Southampton on 30 October 1914. Neill was promoted to Sergeant on 31 October 1914, and landed in France with the 2nd Battalion on 6 November. He was wounded on 22 December 1914, in the trenches at a point known as ‘Port Arthur’, near Neuve Chapelle, and evacuated to England on 9 January 1915.
Neill then joined the 6th Battalion on 23 April 1915, and served in the Mediterranean theatre at Gallipoli from 14 June. He was wounded again with a gun shot to the hip on 25 August 1915, when the Battalion was holding trenches at the head of Aghyl Dere, below Sari Bair. After the Gallipoli campaign he went with his Battalion to Mesopotamia, where he landed on 18 March 1916, and served there for the remainder of the War. He was awarded the D.C.M. for his services on 30 April 1917 at the ‘Three Ridges’ (Shatt-al-Adhaim) during the battle of ‘The Boot’ at Band-i-Adhaim. Promoted to Warrant Officer Class 2 on 21 May 1917, C.S.M. Neill finally sailed from Mesopotamia on 14 October 1918 and was discharged on 12 October 1919.
In the December 1937 East Lancashire Regimental Journal, a photo of Neill appears, apparently working on a paved road. At that time he was secretary of the Burnley branch and was living at Rosegrove, Burnley. During the Second War, Neill served in the Home Guard, earning the Defence Medal.

Sold with copied discharge papers, gazette notices, War Diary and medal roll extracts.