John Neale AM

b. 01/02/1866 Addlestone, Surrey. d. 09/10/1945 Elmbridge, Surrey.

DATE OF AM ACTION: 25/08/1916 Esher, Surrey.

John Neale, of Oxshott, Surrey, was commissioned Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and served during the Great War attached to the Munitions Experimental Station, at Claremont Park, Esher, the home of H.R.H. the Dowager Duchess of Albany. As his work was the responsibility of the Ministry of Munitions, the recommendation for the award of his Albert Medal was made to the King by the Minister of Munitions, the Rt. Hon. Winston Churchill, M.P., and Neale was presented with his Albert Medal by H.M. King George V at Buckingham Palace on 6 April 1918. He was subsequently advanced Captain, Royal Marine Engineers.

 

AM CITATION:

On the 25th August, 1916, Lieutenant Neale was conducting certain experimentswhich involved the projection from a Stokes Mortar of a tube containing flarepower. An accident occurred rendering imminent the explosion of the tube beforeleaving the mortar which would almost certainly have resulted in the bursting of the mortar with loss of life to bystanders. Lieutenant Neale, in order to safeguard the livesof the working party, at once attempted to lift the tube from the mortar. It exploded while he was doing so with the result that hewas severely injured, but owing to the fact that he had partly withdrawn the tube from’ the mortar no injury was caused to others.

 

BURIAL LOCATION: MOLESEY CEMETERY, WEST MOLESEY, SURREY.

LOCATION OF MEDAL: PRIVATELY HELD. SOLD AT DNW IN MARCH 2017 FOR £6,000.

Acknowledgement:

Dix Noonan Webb – Image of the Neale Albert Medal.