7th Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (British Army)
Date Of Birth:
16/02/1897
Died:
27/04/1916 (Killed in Action)
Age:
19
Summary
John O’Neill was the second son of John and Rose O’Neill. He was born on 16th February 1897 in Stewartstown. He was the second of thirteen known children, twelve surviving. His father was a servant and labourer. John O’Neill worked as a farm labourer John disappeared one weekend early in 1915 and enlisted. Private John O’Neill was serving with the 7th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when he was killed in action on Thursday 27th April 1916.
Further Information
John O'Neill was the second son of John (Jack) and Rose O’Neill. John O’Neill and Rose Campbell ware married on 15th November 1894 in the district of Cookstown. Rose was born in Motherwell, Scotland.
John O'Neill was born on 16th February 1897 in Stewartstown. He was the second of thirteen known children, twelve surviving.
The 1901 census lists John as age 4, living with the family at house 36 in Killywoolaghan, Killycolpy, Ardboe. His father was a servant and labourer.
Known family: John O'Neill, Rose O'Neill, Patrick O'Neill (born 31st August 1895), John O'Neill (born 16th February 1897), Catherine Kathleen O'Neill (born 17th December 1898), James O'Neill (born 22nd April 1901), Hugh O'Neill (born 4th February 1903), Francis O'Neill (born 14th December 1904), Rose O'Neill (born 8th March 1907), Annie O'Neill (born 3rd October 1908, died 25th November 1910. Age 2), Elizabeth O'Neill (born 3rd October 1908), Peter O'Neill (born 15th April 1910), Annie O'Neill (born 1st July 1912), Felix O'Neill (born 3rd October 1914), Harry O'Neill (born 12th October 1916).
The 1911 census does not list John as living with the family at house 6 in Killywoolaghan, Killycolpy, Ardboe. His father was an agricultural labourer.
Prior to enlisting in the army John O’Neill worked as a farm labourer for Mr. Robert Orr, Ballysudden, Cookstown.
John’s sister, Mrs. Rose Carty, Lissan Cookstown, recounted in later years about her brother, John’s disappearance one weekend early in 1915:
“John left Robert Orr’s farm one Saturday evening on his bicycle, as he did every Saturday night to cycle home to Ardboe to stay for the weekend, but one weekend he didn’t show up and this caused a bit of concern. My mother asked my father to go to Robert Orr’s to find out if John was okay, but my father said he’d leave it until Monday. On Monday my father spoke to Robert Orr who told him that John had left on Saturday as usual and was expecting him to return to work on Monday, as he normally would. The two men made enquiries in Cookstown and later found out that some boys had gone off with the army who were recruiting in Cookstown that weekend. When my mother found out she was beside herself with grief. He was tracked down in Randalstown and my Mother made enquiries if he could come home explaining that he was just a boy and needed at home. John was adamant that he wanted to stay with his friends and was enjoying the army life and told his superiors that he wasn’t needed at home as his father, older brother and younger sister were both in employment. My mother still wasn’t happy about all this. John even pawned his good bicycle and brand new suit. We never did find out where he pawned them.”
John O'Neill stayed in the army and finished out his training at Randalstown, County Antrim and later at Finner Camp, Ballyshannon, County Donegal.
He had enlisted with the 7th Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.
Mrs. Rose Carty recounted:
“John came home on leave a couple of times when he was still in training, I used to polish the buttons of his tunic and polished his boots, he used to laugh that they weren’t done right, but he was just joking with me. His last time home on leave before he went to France really upset my mother because he was going away, but he assured her he would be back before long. On the journey from our house in Aughacolumb to Stewartstown train station he told my brother Pat and my sister Kathleen that he had a feeling he would never see Stroud’s Corner again. Stroud’s Corner was, where he hung out with his friends at the weekends, and he never did see it again, it wasn’t long after that we got the word that he had been killed.’
The 7th Inniskillings formed part of 49 Brigade of the 16th Irish Division and on December 2nd 1915 the Division was inspected by Her Majesty Queen Mary.
In February 1916, 49 Brigade which included the 7th and 8th Inniskillings was the last Brigade of the division to arrive in France. Their first posting was to the Loos Salient sector of the Western Front.
On the 26th April 1916 the 7th Inniskillings were holding the line near Hulluch when word was given of a possible gas attack by the Germans, according to reports a German deserter had come across to the British lines and informed them. Everything was done to strengthen the lines of defence, dugouts with blanket curtains being provided as protection against the gas. In the early hours of the morning of the 27th April 1916 enemy action began with bursts of rifle and machine gun fire, followed by a heavy artillery bombardment, and about 04.45 hours gas was released, the wind carrying it in the direction of the Inniskilling front lines. The Germans left their trenches, suffering some casualties as they crossed the open ground but succeeded in penetrating the trench lines of B and C companies. Hand to hand fighting ensued, with the Germans retreating with a few prisoners. At 08.00 hours the Germans released more gas and advanced again, but their attack broke down under very heavy fire when Lieutenant HBO Mitchell with his Lewis-gun team stopped their advance. By 11.00 hours the crisis had passed and the Inniskilling set about re-building their defences and counting their casualties.
Of the 24 Officers and 603 other ranks that came into the line, 10 officers and 253 others ranks were listed as casualties. 8 men were missing, 52 wounded, 137 gassed and 66 dead including Private John O’Neill.
Private John O’Neill was serving with the 7th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when he was killed in action on Thursday 27th April 1916.
Subsequent actions over the next few days brought the total to 71 dead of the 7th Inniskillings and 57 dead of the 8th Inniskillings.
Private John O’Neill is buried in Philosophe British Military Cemetery, Mazingarbe, France.
Private John O’Neill is commemorated on Stewartstown Cenotaph.
The CWGC records Private John O’Neill as the son of John and Rose O'Neill of Aghacolumb, Stewartstown, County Tyrone.
