Private Andrew O'Neill
This North Irish Horseman was probably the Andrew O'Neill born on 15 December 1896 at Drummaul, Ballymena, County Antrim, the last of seven children of weaver Joseph O'Neill and his wife Ann (née Moore). At the time of the 1911 Census he was living at 49 Waterloo Road, Larne, with his parents and four of his siblings, and working as a cutter-out apprentice.
O'Neill enlisted in the North Irish Horse between 29 January and 28 March 1917 (regimental number between 2364 and 2368 – later Corps of Hussars No.71777).
In January 1918 he embarked for Egypt with a draft of North Irish Horsemen from the regiment's Antrim reserve camp. There he was attached to the 1/1st Nottinghamshire Yeomanry (Sherwood Rangers). At the beginning of July 1918 he was transferred to the Machine Gun Corps (Cavalry) (No.169465).
Little more is known of his military service, other than that in July 1919 he was shipped to Alexandria suffering from anaemia. At the time he was attached to the 18th Machine Gun Battalion.
On 4 March 1920 O'Neill was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve.
He married Mary Hamill in Belfast on 3 July 1925. Four years later they emigrated to Canada, where Andrew worked as a labourer in a steel foundry in Montreal. He died in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on 10 October 1979.
Two of O'Neill's brothers also served in the war, John O'Neill and Robert O'Neill, both in the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons Service Squadron.
Images sourced from Ancestry.com Public Member Trees - contributor 'roneill2007'.
This page last updated 27 February 2023.