John McNeill (British Army officer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir John Carstairs McNeill
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Sir John Carstairs McNeill
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| Born | 28 March 1831 Colonsay, Argyllshire |
| Died | 25 May 1904 (aged 73) St James's Palace, London |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
Bengal Army British Army |
| Years of service | 1850–1890 |
| Rank | Major General |
| Battles/wars | Indian Mutiny New Zealand Wars
Ashanti War |
| Awards | Victoria Cross Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George |
| Relations | Alexander McNeill (brother) Duncan McNeill, Lord Colonsay (uncle) Sir John McNeill (uncle) |
| Other work | Equerry to Queen Victoria |
Major General Sir John Carstairs McNeill (28 March 1831 – 25 May 1904) was a brave Scottish officer in the British Army. He received the Victoria Cross (VC), which is the highest award for incredible bravery in battle given to British and Commonwealth soldiers.
Contents
Early Life and Military Start
John Carstairs McNeill was born in Scotland on March 28, 1831. His parents were Anne Elizabeth McNeill and Alexander McNeill. He also had a brother named Alexander. John studied at the University of St Andrews and a military school called Addiscombe Military Seminary.
A sad event happened in his early life. In 1850, when he was 19, John and his brother Alexander survived a shipwreck. Sadly, their parents and two sisters did not survive.
In December 1850, John joined the Bengal Army in India as an Ensign, which is a junior officer rank. He served during the Indian Mutiny, a major uprising in India. He took part in the siege and capture of Lucknow, an important city. After this, he was promoted to major. In 1861, he moved to a different regiment, the 107th Regiment of Foot (Bengal Light Infantry). Soon after, he went to New Zealand as a staff officer and was promoted again to lieutenant-colonel in March 1864.
A Daring Rescue: The Victoria Cross Story
Sir John McNeill was 33 years old and a lieutenant colonel when he earned his Victoria Cross. This happened during the Invasion of Waikato, a part of the New Zealand Wars. He was working as an Aide-de-Camp (a personal assistant) to Lieutenant General Sir Duncan Cameron.
On March 30, 1864, McNeill was on duty near Te Awamutu. He was with two soldiers, Private Vosper and Private Gibson. McNeill saw some enemy fighters ahead. He sent Private Gibson back to get more soldiers. McNeill and Private Vosper rode slowly to the top of a hill to watch the enemy.
Suddenly, about 50 enemy fighters, who were hidden in tall ferns, attacked them! Their only chance was to ride away as fast as they could. As they turned to gallop, Private Vosper's horse fell, throwing him off. The enemy rushed forward to capture him.
But Lieutenant-Colonel McNeill, seeing that Private Vosper was not following him, bravely turned back. He rode to Private Vosper, caught his horse, and helped him get back on. The enemy was firing at them very closely. Private Vosper later said that he owed his life entirely to McNeill's help. He couldn't have caught his horse alone and would have been captured or killed in minutes. This incredible act of courage earned McNeill the Victoria Cross.
Later Military Career and Royal Connections
After his heroic act, McNeill continued his military career. From 1869 to 1872, he worked as a military secretary for Lord Lisgar, who was the Governor General of Canada. He also joined the 1870 Red River expedition in Canada.
He became a full colonel in 1872. He then served as the chief of staff for Sir Garnet Wolseley in the Second Ashanti War (1873–74) in Africa. During this war, he was wounded and had to return home.
In 1874, he was honored with the title of Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB). Around this time, he also became an aide-de-camp to the commander-in-chief, the Duke of Cambridge. This started his close connection with the Royal Family.
In November 1874, he was appointed an equerry to Queen Victoria. An equerry is an officer who attends to members of the royal family. He even traveled to Canada with the Queen's son, Prince Leopold. In 1880, he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG).
McNeill also served in the 1882 Egyptian campaign. After this, he was promoted to major-general and received another honor, Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB), in November 1882.
In 1885, he led a group of soldiers during the Suakin Expedition. He was in command at the Battle of Tofrek on March 22. His forces fought against Mahdist fighters. Even though his troops won, McNeill was criticized for being surprised by the attack. This was his last time commanding troops in a battle. He retired from the army in 1890.
His connection with the royal family continued even after retirement. In 1890, he traveled around the world with the Queen's son, Prince Arthur. In 1898, McNeill was given another important role related to the Order of the Bath. In 1901, when Edward VII became king, McNeill was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO).
Sir John Carstairs McNeill never married. He passed away on May 25, 1904, at St James's Palace in London. He was buried at Oronsay Priory in Scotland.
Awards and Recognition
Sir John Carstairs McNeill received many important awards for his service and bravery:
- VC: Victoria Cross – awarded in 1864 for his heroic actions in New Zealand.
- GCVO: Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order – a high honor from the British monarch.
- KCB: Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath – another important British military honor.
- KCMG: Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George – an award for service in foreign affairs or the Commonwealth.
He also received honors from other countries:
- From the Ottoman Empire (now Turkey): the 2nd class of the Order of the Medjidie in 1882.
- From the Kingdom of Prussia (part of modern-day Germany): Knight 1st class of the Order of the Crown in 1899.
Sir John McNeill's medals, including his Victoria Cross, are now displayed at the Imperial War Museum in London, as part of the Lord Ashcroft Gallery.
