Informationen zu Geburt

Geburtsjahr:
1896
Geburtsort:
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Allgemeine Informationen

Letzter bekannter Wohnsitz:
Ashfield, New South Wales, Australia
Beruf:
Chauffeur
Religion:
Congregationalist

Informationen zum Armeedienst

Land:
Australia
Truppe:
Australian Imperial Force
Rang:
Private
Dienstnummer:
5841
Einberufung datum:
29/05/1916
Einberufung ort:
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Einheiten:
 —  Australian Infantry, 18th Bn. (New South Wales)  (Letzte bekannte Einheit)

Informationen zu Tod

Sterbedatum:
26/09/1917
Sterbeort:
Lijssenthoek, Remy Siding, No. 10 Casualty Clearing Station, Belgien
Todesursache:
Verwundet
Alter:
21

Begräbnisplatz

Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery
Grabstelle: XXIII
Reihe: A
Grab: 16

Auszeichnungen und Orden 2

British War Medal
Medaille
Victory Medal
Medaille

Punkte von Interesse 4

#1 Geburtsort
#2 Letzter bekannter Wohnort
#3 Einberufung ort
#4 Ort des Todes (ungefähr)

Meine Geschichte

Private Alfred Eager McGill was 20 years of age when he enlisted the 18th AIF Battalion, part of the 5the Brigade, 2nd Australian Division on 29 May 1916 together with his brother Herbert John McGill, aged 22, both from Ashfield, NSW.
20th September 1917 was the first day of the Battle of the Menin Road, part of the Battle of Passchendaele ( also known as the Third Battle of Ypres).
The 5th Australian Brigade attacked at 05.40 a.m. with the 20th Battalion and 18th Battalion in support; the 17th and 26th Battalions were in reserve.
The attack went well, although the left of the 20th Battalion met some resistance from a line of old concrete artillery shelters, causing a slight hold up. They went on to the first objective, but whilst attempting to consolidate, came under fire from two pillboxes 200 yards away. To save further casualties, these were dealt with on the spot.
The 18th Battalion took over the attack on the Blue Line, taking Iron Cross Redoubt and Anzac House in its stride.It was then forced to take Garter Point to prevent sniping on troops consolidating the Blue Line.
The third objective, the Green Line, was assaulted by the 17th and 28th Battalions supported by the 26th Battalion, and was taken easily.
During these events, Alfred was severely wounded in action, a gunshot wound to the thorax, surviving 6 days in the 10th Casualty Clearing Station before he died of his wounds on the 26th September 1917, aged 21. He is buried in the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, plot XXIII, row A, grave 16.
His brother Herbert John McGill continued to serve in the same Battalion but was badly wounded later during 1918. He survived the war, returning home to Australia in December 1918. Their younger brother James Edward McGill, serving with the 58th Battalion AIF, was mortally wounded in action on the 25th September 1917, and died the same day in the 3rd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station, 18 years old.
By sheer chance, the two casualty stations the brothers died in are quite near one another, and the brothers are both buried in plot XXIII of the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery.

Verwandte, die auch Soldat waren 1

Dateien 1

Maps Anschauen

Quellen 9

"Passchendaele, The Day-by-Day Account",McCarthy C., Arms&ArmourPress, London, 1995, page 80-83"
Verwendete Quellen
CWGC
https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/431465/alfred-eager-mcgill/
Verwendete Quellen
Map="Passchendaele, The Day-by-Day Account",McCarthy C., Arms&ArmourPress, London, 1995, page 80"
Verwendete Quellen
Service Record
https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=1944110
Verwendete Quellen
The AIF Project
https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=197800
Verwendete Quellen
The Australian War Memorial
https://www.awm.gov.au/advanced-search/people?people_preferred_name=McGill&people_service_number=5841&people_unit=
Verwendete Quellen
The Long Long Trail
http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/order-of-battle-of-divisions/2nd-australian-division/
Verwendete Quellen
War diary 18th Btln
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1355880
Verwendete Quellen
War Diary 5th Brigade
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1347529
Verwendete Quellen