Keith (Elvine Bernard) NEAL
Personal
Born: 1893
Birth registration: Victorian Births, Deaths & Marriages Registration No. 5936
Birthplace: Melton
Parents: John Jack Neal b. 06/08/1862 at Talbetts Inn, Wakool River, NS.W. 27/04/1887
Catherine Mary Luby - Married at Melton.
Died: December, 1968
Place of death: Holderness, Yorkshire, England
Awards and Honours
- 1914-1915 Star
- British War Medal 1914-20
- Victory Medal
Battalions
5th Machine Gun Battalion
Events
Enlistment
Regimental Service Number: 3563
Enlistment date: 17 July, 1915 Melbourne
Age at enlistment: 22 years 6 months
Religion: Roman Catholic
Marital Status: Married
Next of kin: Father: John Neal, 322 Banks Street, South Melbourne
Other Next of Kin:
Wife: Mrs M.A. Neal, 52 Division Road, Hull, England / Melton
Physical Description: Height: 5 feet 6 inches
Weight: 10 stones 6 pounds
Complexion: Sallow
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Dark brown
Distinctive marks: scars: 2 left knee, 1 left elbow; Moles: 1 centre back, 1 left shoulder blade, 2 right shoulder
Embarkation ship: H.M.A.T. A71 Nestor.
Rank: Sergeant
Return Date: 23 July, 1919
Return Vessel: Main.
Arrival at Australia: 10 November, 1919.
Discharge Date: 10 December, 1919
War Service Summary
11/10/1915 - Embarked aboard the Nestor, meets up with John William Neal who missed his ship a week earlier In Cape Town and they travel together
24/02/1916 - Transferred to 59th Infantry Battalion, then 39th Battalion Tel-el-Kebir
14/03/1916 - 15th brigade, Machine Gun Company, 5th Battalion
14/03/1916 - Private / Driver
29/04/1916 - Attached to Zeitoun School of Instruction, Ferry Post
21/05/1916 - Rejoined & promoted to driver
17/06/1916 - Embarked at Alexandria to join B.E.F.
24/06/1916 - Disembarked Marseilles
13/08/1916 - Sergeant in the field
03/12/1916 - To Hospital; Influenza
08/12/1916 - Embarked for England Influenza and pleurisy
09/12/1916 - To Reading War Hospital, England
17/01/1917 - Discharged to Pesham Downs & granted 2 weeks furlough
23/03/1917 - 65th battalion from 15th Machine Gun Company, England
01/11/1917 - Taken on Strength under para 1972 Perm Cadre Over Seas Training Brigade from 15th M. G. Coy, England
01/11/1917 - Temp. C S M (W.O. ii)
15/02/1918 - Transferred to 15th M. G. Coy after ceasing duty with Overseas Training Brigade, England
15/02/1918 - Sergeant
11/06/1918 - Proceeds overseas to France ex Grantham
11/01/1919 On leave in London
11/02/1919 - France
24/02/1919 - Sick to hospital Influenza
01/01/1919 - Discharged to duty; Rejected, sick
14/03/1919 - Harve; to England en route for Australia
23/07/1919 - Embarked for Australia with wife and child
11/10/1919 - Arrived in Australia
10/12/1919 - Discharged from duty
War Service Commemerated
Life After the War
02/05/1918 - Married Mary Ann Sanvidge, 22, of 52 Division Road., Father: Joseph Alexander Sanvidge; occupation Dry Salter; at St. Barnabus Church, Kingston-upon-Hull by Gibson Black, vicar
Place/s of residence:
1923 - 6 Olive Grove, Harrow Street, Hesse Pd., Hull, Yorkshire, England
Date of death:
December, 1968 - At Holderness, Yorkshire, England
Other relevant information:
00/01/1921 Travelled to London via South Africa aboard Marathon with his wife
Additional Information
Melton Express
Saturday 6 July 1918, P 2
Despite the inclement weather on Saturday night, the Melton Mechanics' hall was well filled by local and district folk, who assembled to extend a welcome home to Privates Tom. Nolan, Frank Neal, G. Close and Tom Exell ; also to say farewell to-Lance-Corporal Stanley Love, Privates Roy Monk and Norman Kinnersley. The platform was tastefully decorated for the occasion with greenery, flowers, and the Allied flags. Harmony was contributed by Misses Phyllis Emmett, Currie, Evans, Messrs. McLeish, Osborne and S. Hardy. The performers were all in excellent voice and had perforce to obey encores. The
Chairman of the Recruiting Committee (Rev. S. Love) …….
….. Privates Close, Nolan and Neal responded in neat speeches, thanking the audience for the splendid reception given them.--The (Rev.) Lance-Corporal Love said he knew his enlistment was a surprise to many people, but he saw other married men obeying the call of Empire and he had no desire to shelter himself behind his clerical collar. He then spoke in his usual happy vein and gave some experiences of camp life.
….
To show the inequality of sacrifice in connection with the war, it is interesting to note that the whole family of Nolan brothers and Neal brothers enlisted. Three Nolans and Frank Neal have returned. Privates Joe Nolan and Keith and Jack Neal are still in the firing line.
Sources
Newspaper accounts