Captain James Grant McNeill MC

Captain James Grant McNeill MC in the Great War

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Captain James Grant McNeill born 17 October 1893 in St. Stephen, New Brunswick. Son of Thompson and Carrie Estelle MacNeill, of St. Stephen, New Brunswick. McNeill a young physician and surgeon prior to the Great War.

Major McGill and assistants, 5th Canadian Field Ambulance, dressing wounded outdoors, Battle of Amiens. MIKAN No. 3194283

Captain James Grant McNeill enlisted 23 May 1916 in Kingston, Ontario. Standing 6 feet tall, 168 pounds with good physical development.

No. 6 Canadian Field Ambulance

Firstly, No.6 Canadian Field Ambulance organized in November 1914 under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Roland Playfair Campbell (killed at Courcelette, 16 September 1916). Firstly, mobilized at Montreal and recruited in Military District No.4. Then, left training camp on 16 April 1915, and left Halifax 18 April 1915 aboard SS NORTHLAND with 4th, 5th and 6th Field Companies Canadian Engineers, No.2 CCS, No.3 Stationary Hospital, No.4 and No.5 Field Ambulance.

SS NORTHLAND
SS NORTHLAND

Troopship GRAMPIAN also sailed. Firstly, arrived in Avonmouth, England 29 April 1915 and arrived at training camp in Sandling on 29 April 1915 with strength of 11 officers, 259 other ranks. Later, moved to Otterpool Camp, 24 May 1915, and arrived in Le Havre, France on board SS VIPER 16 September 1915 with the 2nd Canadian Division.

Locre (Loker)

No. 6 Canadian Field Ambulance handled the Divisional Rest Station at Locre, Belgium from September 1915 to 31 March 1916.

Locre Church looking toward Kemmel, circa May 1919. MIKAN No. 3404102
Locre Church looking toward Kemmel, circa May 1919. MIKAN No. 3404102

Captain James Grant McNeill embarked from Halifax per SS OLYMPIC on 1 June 1916, arriving in Liverpool on 7 June 1916. Then, taken-on-strength of the CAMC as of 1 June 1916, and transferred to CAMC Training School. Finally, Captain James Grant McNeill proceeded overseas on 14 August 1916 and finds his unit at Bedford House, Belgium.

Canada corner near Locre, circa May 1919. MIKAN No. 3329037 Captain James Grant McNeill
Canada corner near Locre, circa May 1919. MIKAN No. 3329037

Captain James Grant McNeill admitted to No. 25 Stationary Hospital, Rouen (diptheria), 13 May 1918. Later, Sick leave to England, 1 July 1918 to 21 July 1918.

Captain McNeill misses a big day as fifty other ranks attend the Canadian Corps Sports in Tinques, 1 July 1918.

Captain James Grant McNeill
Band entering grounds. Canadian Corps Sports, Tinques, 1 July 1918. MIKAN No. 3396930.

Then, on 24 August 1918, CCS established on the east side of Avesnes-le-Comte.

Arras

Following the Battle of Amiens, a Divisional Rest Station established on Boulevard Crespel (close to Place Victor Hugo), Arras on 7 September 1918.

Captain James Grant McNeill
Some of the ruined houses in Arras. May, 1917. MIKAN No. 3403843

Military Cross

Sun Quarry near Cherisy H.Q. 2nd Cdn Div. captured by 25th Battalion August 1918. MIKAN No. 3329294 Captain James Grant McNeill
Sun Quarry near Cherisy H.Q. 2nd Cdn Div. captured by 25th Battalion August 1918. MIKAN No. 3329294

While attached to the 25th Battalion, Captain James Grant McNeill awarded the Military Cross.

Captain James Grant McNeill Military Cross Citation
Captain James Grant McNeill Military Cross Citation
MIKAN NO. 3395883 Captain James Grant McNeill
A Canadian Field Ambulance in the forward area during the advance. Battle of Amiens. August, 1918

Later, on 24 September 1918, Captain McNeill returns from serving with the 19th Battalion.

MIKAN NO. 3406060 Captain James Grant McNeill
Canadians on their way to pay Fritz a visit. A Canadian Highland unit (19th Battalion) , led by the battalion’s musicians, marching along a roadway, with censor’s marks cropping out a light rail-line on the left. MIKAN NO. 3406060
CEFRG

Then on 12 October 1918, Captain James Grant McNeill MC killed in action today and Captain Arthur Allan Parker fatally wounded. Capt Parker died of his wounds at No. 33 CCS. He was buried at cemetery at 51b.S.9.c (later exhumed to Bucquoy Road Cemetery, Fichieux). Captain McNeill buried east of Boisleux-au-Mont and later moved to Ramillies British Cemetery.

Captain James Grant McNeill MC. 13 August 2019. CEFRG
Captain James Grant McNeill MC. 13 August 2019. CEFRG

Ramillies British Cemetery

Ramillies village approximately 3 kilometres north-east of Cambrai. The Cemetery signposted from the centre of the village and situated just outside Ramillies on Rue d’erre.

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The village of Ramillies captured by the Canadian Corps on the night of 8-9 October 1918. The original cemetery contained 93 graves dating from 30 September to 17 October but after the Armistice, further graves brought into the cemetery from the following:- ESCAUDOEUVRES CONVENT CEMETERY, South-West of the village of Escaudoeuvres, close to the road to Cambrai, in the grounds of the Convent of the Little Sisters of the Poor. At this time, it contained the graves of 80 soldiers from the United Kingdom, six from Canada, 43 German soldiers and two French civilians). In addition, MALINCOURT GERMAN CEMETERY, which contained the grave of a Chinese labourer. Finally, Ramillies British Cemetery now contains 180 Great War burials and designed by W C Von Berg.

Then, on 13 October 1918 Acting O.C., Major McKechnie, Captain Kennedy and Guiou and 4 other ranks attended the funeral of Captain Parker from No.33 CCS.

A A Parker
Captain Arthur Allan Parker, 7 April 2017. CEFRG

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