Ronald Allan Neil (1918 - 1990)

Born 6 Apr 1918 in Eastwood, New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth Sylvia (Soady) Neil — married 1944 in Ryde, New South Wales, Australia

Died 15 Feb 1990 at age 71 in Hornsby, New South Wales, Australia

Biography

Ronald Allan Neil was born in Eastwood, New South Wales on 6 April 1918. He was the son of Reginald Neil and Eileen Allen. ^[1]

Ronald Neil is a Military Veteran.
Served in the Second Australian Imperial Force 1940-1945
2/33rd Australian Infantry Battalion

Ronald enlisted in the Australian Army's overseas expeditionary force for the fast-escalating Second World War, the Second Australian Imperial Force, on 15 March 1940. He was allocated to the 2/33rd Australian Infantry Battalion, 25th Brigade, then recently formed in Britain. ^[2] Joining the brigade in Tidworth and conducting final training at Colchester, Ronald deployed to Egypt with the brigade in March 1941. There the brigade became part of the 7th Australian Division and moved to Mersa Matruh to bolster the defences along the Libyan frontier against an expected German attack. In late May 1941, the 25th Brigade returned to Palestine to take part in the invasion of Syria and Lebanon. The brigade returned to Australia February-March 1942 in the wake of the Fall of Singapore and Japanese advances amongst the Pacific islands and the bombing of Darwin. After an ever-so-brief time of leave and training, the brigade was deployed to Papua in September to reinforce the battered Australian units on the Kokoda Track. The 2/33rd was briefly involved in the bitter, confused fighting at Gona between 23 November and 4 December 1942, by which time dwindling numbers had forced its four rifle companies to be amalgamated into two. The brigade spent the second half of 1943 in New Guinea at Lae, Nadzab, the Ramu Valley and the Finisterre Range. Its final operation of the war was the amphibuous landing and battle at Balikpapan, Borneo. ^[3] Ronald was de-mobilised on 13 October 1945. ^[2] For his war service, he was awarded the 1939-1945 Star, Africa Star, Pacific Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-1945 and Australia Service Medal 1939-1945.

Ronald married Elizabeth Soady in Ryde, New South Wales during 1944, whilst based in Australia for training and recuperation. ^[4][5] They shared the same birthday, two years apart. Ron and Elizabeth had four children:

1. Edgar
2. James
3. Reginald
4. Shirley; married surname Perk

Aged 71 years, he passed away on 15th February 1990 in New South Wales. ^[6]

Do you have information about Ronald Neil? Please contribute to his biography. Everything on WikiTree is a collaborative work-in-progress.

Sources

1. ↑ NSW Government. Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages (accessed 06 Feb 2022). Birth Index, Index entry for NEIL RONALD A; Parents: REGINALD H & EILEEN; District: HORNSBY; Registration Number: 18830/1918 
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Department of Veterans' Affairs nominal roll: NX10125 Private Ronald Allan Neil; accessed 4 May 2022
3. ↑ Australian War Memorial unit record: 2/33rd Australian Infantry Battalion; accessed 4 May 2022
4. ↑ NSW Government. Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages (accessed 06 Feb 2022). Marriage Index, Index entry for RONALD ALLAN NEIL and ELIZABETH SYLVIA SOADY; District: RYDE; Registration Number: 5678/1944
5. ↑ "The Jottings OF A LADY ABOUT TOWN" Truth (Sydney, NSW : 1894 - 1954) 6 September 1942: 29. Web. 6 Feb 2022 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article168969558>.
6. ↑ New South Wales Death Index #4767/1990; registered at Hornsby

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Philip Clark for starting this profile.