L/Cpl 29673 James O'Neill

• Age: 35
• From: Dublin
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• D.O.W Thursday 20th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Abbeville Cc
  Panel Ref: V.F.16

James O’Neill was born in Dublin, Ireland.  We know that he was the nephew of Patrick John O’Neill, who received James’ Soldiers Effects, including a War Gratuity of £4 (suggesting that James enlisted in about May 1915). Working from James' Soldiers Will dated 13th March 1916 and signed L/Cpl James O'Neill:

At the time of enlistment, James was living in Dublin.  He enlisted in Liverpool as Private 29673, joining the 19th (Pals) Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment. 

As he earned two medals, the Victory Medal and British War Medal, it is likely that James shipped to France early in 1916. 

It is not known when James was wounded, but he died of his wounds on 20th July 1916 and was buried in Abbeville Communal Cemetery, Somme.  (Stationary Hospitals Nos. 2 and 5 were located at Abbeville during the war.)

For much of the First World War, Abbeville was headquarters of the Commonwealth lines of communication and No.3 BRCS, No.5 and No.2 Stationary Hospitals were stationed there variously from October 1914 to January 1920. The communal cemetery was used for burials from November 1914 to September 1916, the earliest being made among the French military graves. The extension was begun in September 1916. During the early part of the Second World War, Abbeville was a major operational aerodrome, but the town fell to the Germans at the end of May 1940. On 4 June, an attempt was made by the 51st Division, in conjunction with the French, to break the German bridgehead, but without success. Towards the end of 1943, eight large ski shaped buildings appeared near Abbeville. These proved to be storage units for flying bomb components an they were heavily bombed by Commonwealth air forces. Abbeville was retaken on 4 September 1944 by Canadian and Polish units. Abbeville Communal Cemetery contains 774 Commonwealth burials of First World War and 30 from the Second. 

CWGC shows his rank as Lance Corporal, although the medal roll shows Private.

James’ name was among the casualties, as having died of wounds, published in the Freeman’s Journal (Dublin) on 21st August 1916.

No pension card has been found, suggesting that James had no dependants.

James is commemorated on Ireland’s National Roll of Honour.