Regiment: Royal Irish Regt.
Died: 01 July 1916 aged 22 in France. Killed in action at Thiepval.
Battle: Battle of the Somme. Cemetery: Thiepval Memorial P 15A 15B
Born: 16th September 1894. Son of Reginals Neill (O.M.) and Geraldine Neill, of "Sheena", Craigavad, Co. Down., and Collin Grove, Dunmurry, co. Antrim.
Modern II—I. Chance Prize. House Prefect.
Stockbroker.
Great War, 2nd Lieutenant 11th Royal Irish Rifles 1914, Lieutenant.
'Reginald Neill was the son of R. Neill (O.M,), of Dunmurry, Co. Antrim. He rapidly made his way to the top of the Modern Side, and won the Chance Prize. On leaving School he became a stockbroker, and when war broke out he obtained a commission in the 11th Battalion of the Royal Irish Rifles. He was in action at the battle of the Somme (July 1st, 1916), and was reported Missing, His father has never been able to obtain any news of what happened to him. To him we extend our sincere sympathy in the loss of a son of proved merit and capacity.' (Malvernian, Dec 1919).
The unit war diary states that their attack was initially successful but their flanks were exposed and the Germans heavily counter-attacked. The remnant of the battalion who went to attack in the morning at 7.30am returned to their trenches at 11.45pm with only 4 officers and 250 men.
''The Lieutenant was in B Coy, 2nd in command and took over when Captain Craig was wounded. I saw Lt Neil wounded at Thiepval on July 1st 1916; he was in a communication trench between the first and second German lines. He was lying down; his wound had been dressed; we held the ground. It was being heavily shelled all day.' (Informant L/Cpl M. Griffin).
There is a memorial plaque in St John the Baptist Church of Ireland Church, Suffolk, Belfast.
Photograph and small biography at IWM
Biography and details of Memorial plaque
Service record:WO 339/14586
Unit War Diary:WO 95/2506/1