Geboortejaar: 1896

Geboorteplaats: Sydney, New South Wales, Australië

Laatst gekende woonplaats: Ashfield, New South Wales, Australië

Beroep: Chauffeur

Geloof: Congregationalist

Land: Australië

Strijdmacht: Australian Imperial Force

Rang: Private

Service nummer: 5841

Dienstneming datum: 29/05/1916

Dienstneming plaats: Sydney, New South Wales, Australië

Eenheden:  —  Australian Infantry, 18th Bn. (New South Wales)  (Laatst gekende eenheid)

Datum van overlijden: 26/09/1917

Plaats van overlijden: Lijssenthoek, Remy Siding, No. 10 Casualty Clearing Station, België

Doodsoorzaak: Died of wounds (D.O.W.)

Leeftijd: 21

British War Medal Medaille

Victory Medal Medaille

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.

James Edward McGill  Brother

"Passchendaele, The Day-by-Day Account",McCarthy C., Arms&ArmourPress, London, 1995, page 80-83" Gebruikte bronnen

CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/431465/alfred-eager-mcgill/ Gebruikte bronnen

Map="Passchendaele, The Day-by-Day Account",McCarthy C., Arms&ArmourPress, London, 1995, page 80" Gebruikte bronnen

Service Record https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=1944110 Gebruikte bronnen

The AIF Project https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=197800 Gebruikte bronnen

The Australian War Memorial https://www.awm.gov.au/advanced-search/people?people_preferred_name=McGill&people_service_number=5841&people_unit= Gebruikte bronnen

The Long Long Trail http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/order-of-battle-of-divisions/2nd-australian-division/ Gebruikte bronnen

War diary 18th Btln https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1355880 Gebruikte bronnen

War Diary 5th Brigade https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1347529 Gebruikte bronnen