James Reginald ‘Reg’ O’Neil

O’NEIL, James Reginald -‘Reg’- – – – SPC 1910-1911

DoB:- – 18 October 1895, Beaufort, VIC

Father:- – Richard O’Neil

Mother:- – Margaret, nee McMahon

The College Annual of 1916-1917 noted that –

-‘-¦ Private J Reginald O’Neil is an old SPC boy, and was employed as a clerk in the ES&A Bank at Ballarat prior to enlisting. He joined the AAMC and went into camp on September 1, 1915. After spending six months in training at Ballarat and Ascot Vale camps, he sailed for Egypt on the Hospital Ship, -‘Karoola’. Reg spent two months in Egypt, joined the 4th Field Ambulance, and went to France, where he now holds the position as clerk of his Section’.

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Service No:- 13329

Rank:- – Private

Unit:- – 4th Field Ambulance, Aust Army Pay Corps (AAPC)

Reg O’Neil enlisted on 8 July 1915. He was 19 years and nine months old, and worked as a bank clerk. He was five feet, eight and a half inches tall, with a fresh complexion, blue eyes and fair hair. He was not married.

Private O’Neil embarked from Australia on 7 March 1916, travelling to Serapeum, Egypt. He was attached to the 4th Field Ambulance and proceeded to Marseilles, France on 22 April 1916. In November 1916, he was charged with the crime of -‘drunkenness when on active service’ on 24 November, and was severely reprimanded.

The next entries in his war record are from 1918, when on 5 October he was still in France, and had been appointed Driver. On 7 December he was transferred to London and attached to the Australian Army Pay Corps (AAPC) as a member of the pay office staff.

He returned to Australia aboard the Karmala on 8 January 1919.

Reg got married in 1922 to Dora Jane Carrigan, and they settled in Athelstan Road, Camberwell. They had six children. Reg worked as a Public Servant. He died on 2 October 1966 at the age of 70 years. He was buried at the Burwood Cemetery.

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