Born in 1896 at West Thurrock, son of William (Marine Engineers Labourer) and Annie O’Neill. 1901: With his family at 12 Melbourne Road, Little Thurrock. 1911: A GPO Messenger Boy with his family at Dock Road, Tilbury.
The address of the family home was later given as 17 New Christchurch Road, Tilbury; William was living at Loughton when he enlisted at Ilford. He arrived in the Balkans on 8th October 1915, and from there was posted to the campaign in the Middle East.
For the opening of the Third Battle of Gaza on 1/2 November 1917, 4 Essex were held in reserve on the beach at “Sugar Valley, but Turkish shelling still caused 10 casualties. The attacking units suffered such losses that it required 4 Essex to be attached to 162 Brigade for the attack on Balah Ridge on 3rd November. They advanced under cover of an artillery barrage at 04.00, and some casualties were caused by this. At 04.30 the barrage lifted and the Battalion charged and took the Turkish positions. However, at 05.00 they faced a massive Turkish counter attack which caused many casualties, and forced them back to Gun Hill - the location from which they had set out earlier in the morning. 291 casualties had been inflicted. It would take a full Brigade to capture Rafa Balah, and when the Battalion advanced again on 5th November, they passed the unburied bodies of their comrades from the earlier action, some of whom had pipes in their mouths, indicating they had a last smoke before dying of their wounds. Gaza was captured on 7th November 1917.
During this period, William O’Neill suffered wounds and was evacuated to Egypt where he died.
He is also remembered on the Tilbury Town War Memorial.
Research by Adrian Lee, Local Historian
Sources:
Ancestry.com
Regimental Histories