Photo: Barney Rice

TRS/11757 Sergeant
J. O'Neill
Durham Light Infantry
21st October 1917

The Royal Victoria Infirmary; Coroner's Report Number 448 23/10/1917.

James O'Neill aged 32 years. Sergt. 11th Battalion Durham Light Infantry. France. Home address, No 2 West Row, Portobello, Birtley, died in 1st Northern General Hospital at 2.30am on 21st.

Deceased died from injuries received by his having been accidentally knocked down and run over by a Motor Bus near Brown's Buildings, Chester-le-Street, about 5.30 pm on Saturday 20th October 1917.

Brian O’Neill has offered the following:

My Grandfather James O'Neill was born Clogh Castlecomer, Kilkenny, in 1885. The family moved to Manchester then to Portobello.

His three brothers were Thomas (DLI) killed 1915, Patrick (DLI) killed 1916, and Andrew (26 Batt) N/Land Fusiliers (Tyneside Irish) killed Arras April 1917.

James was home on compassionate leave due to my father’s birth 15th October 1917. He was hit by bus near Brown's Buildings (not far from the Wheatsheaf Public House) following Saturday night while out with father in law. At a guess they were wetting the baby’s head. Thomas Keefe (father-in-law) died, I believe, at Chester-le-Street but James, as a serviceman, was taken to the 1st Northern General Hospital, Armstrong Building, where he died in the early hours of the next morning. Ironically that's the building I completed my M.A. in History.

25774 Sergeant James O'Neill was attached to the 276th Infantry Training Battalion. James later took the number 5/11757 as he had joined the 5th Training Reserve Battalion prior to his death. I believe he was stationed at Rugeley Camp in Staffordshire at the time of his death.

His widow had to wait a long time for her pension entitlement. Her husband returned home in December 1916 to serve with the 276th Infantry Training Reserve Battalion after serving with the 11th Durham Light Infantry overseas. On the 21st October 1917, he was run down by a motor bus, which caused very severe injuries to his skull, spine, pelvic girdle and femur. But because his death was not 'in the performance of military duty' his widow was not entitled to the usual pension. She was awarded a temporary pension of 15s a week for herself and three children from 29th April 1918.

The 3 brothers mentioned above are :-

3358 Private Thomas O'Neill, 1/8th Battalion DLI, killed on the 26th April 1915. He was the son of Patrick and Elizabeth O'Neill, of 13, Long Row, Nova Scotia, Chester-le-Street. He had enlisted at Birtley.

25752 Private Patrick O'Neill, (CWGC gives O’Neil) 8th Platoon, B Company, Durham Light Infantry, 11th Service Battalion who was killed on the 5th January 1916. He was born in Manchester and was a coal miner. He married Clara Sullivan, also from Manchester. They had a daughter called Veronica who died at the age of 4 years.

26/521 Serjeant Andrew O'Neill (3rd Battalion Tyneside Irish) Northumberland Fusiliers, who was killed on the 28th April 1917.

Additional research from James Pasby

For information on 11th DLI Battalion. The 11th Durham Light Infantry in their own names by Martin Bashforth. Published 2011. ISBN 9781445602653.

There is a Sergeant J. O'Neil remembered at Birtley on B127.01

The CWGC entry for Serjeant James O'Neill
The CWGC entry for Private Thomas O'Neill
The CWGC entry for Private Patrick O'Neill
The CWGC entry for Serjeant Andrew O'Neill