Distinguished Service Order : Lieutenant A W L MacNeil, 3 Light Trench Mortar Battery, AIF

Distinguished Service Order (Geo V). Unnamed as issued.

Awarded to Lieutenant Alexander W L MacNeil. Born in Inverness, Scotland on 24 August 1892, MacNeil immigrated to Australia in 1912 and was employed as a boiler maker at the outbreak of the First World War. On 29 August 1914 he enlisted in the AIF as a private with 10 Infantry Battalion at Morphettville, South Australia and received the regimental number 746. In October MacNeil sailed for Egypt and spent some months training in Cairo before embarking for Turkey where his battalion formed part of the covering force for the ANZAC landing on 25 April 1915. 10 Battalion were amongst the first ashore at around 4.30 am and heavily involved in establishing and defending the front line of the ANZAC position. MacNeil served throughout the Gallipoli campaign during which he was promoted to sergeant on 19 August. After the withdrawal from Gallipoli in December, 10 Battalion returned to Egypt and, in March 1916, sailed for France and the Western Front. MacNeil was promoted to Lieutenant and in mid June was wounded in action at Fleurbaix when a piece of shrapnel passed through a notebook carried in his breast pocket and deflected down into his abdomen. MacNeil was transferred to 3 Australian Light Trench Mortar Battery in January 1917, and on May 6 was involved in heavy fighting on the Hindenburg Line east of Bullecourt, France. While originally recommended for the Victoria Cross for his brave actions in defending the Australian line against German bombing attacks, MacNeil was ultimately awarded the Distinguished Service Order. His citation reads 'For conspicuous gallantry during a fierce counter-attack on our positions in the Hindenburg Line, east of Bullecourt, France on the morning of the 6th May 1917. Lieut. MacNeil was stationed with a Trench Mortar in a post on the right of our position when the enemy attacked in overwhelming numbers with bombs and Flammenwerfers. He hung on with his mortar until his position became absolutely untenable as all the infantry in front of him had been forced back. He then personally held the enemy off with a revolver until his crew got the mortar away to a place of safety. Lieut. MacNeil then took part in a counter-attack which had been organised in rear of him. He seized a Lewis Gun and led the counter-attack forward against the still advancing enemy, doing great execution with his Lewis Gun. During the advance of this counter-attack Lieut. MacNeil personally bombed off the crew of the German Flammenwerfers, personally throwing the bomb which blew up the instrument itself. Throughout the whole of this operation Lieut. MacNeil's courage and dash were a splendid example to the whole of the men, who, until his plucky fight for the mortar took place, had been retiring before the fierceness of the enemy attack. By his bravery on this occasion the enemy attack was checked and we were able to re-establish our line.' MacNeil later went on to train at the Southern Command Bombing School, Lyndhurst and qualified as an instructor in November. Returning to his original unit, 10 Battalion, MacNeil was discharged on 3 February 1919 though he remained in Britain for some years before returning to Australia in 1922.