William James O'Neill

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Commander R.N.R. (retired) William James O'Neill, R.D. (10 December, 1871 – 21 February, 1942) served in the Royal Naval Reserve.

Life & Career

O'Neill was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant R.N.R. on 16 September, 1904.[1]

O'Neill was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander R.N.R. on 16 September, 1912.[2]

O'Neill was appointed to the armed merchant cruiser H.M.S. Carmania from 8 August 1914 until 30 June, 1915,[3] and was aboard her when she destroyed the German armed merchant cruiser Cap Trafalgar. Notably, he is mentioned in the ship's log as having been the boarding officer on several occasions, removing 12 German subjects from a Polish ship S.S. Malange on the evening of 26 April, 1915. He apears to have left the ship on 1 July, 1915.[4]

O'Neill was removed from command of the destroyer Boxer in August 1916 for misappropriation of Government Stores (including corticene) and for smuggling fourteen pounds of sugar.[5]

O'Neill commanded Rosabelli from July to November, 1917, and then Safa el Bahr until 5 December 1917.[6]

O'Neill was demobilised on 30 June, 1919 and placed on the Retired List at the rank of Commander R.N.R. that same day. In 1921 he applied for promotion to the rank of Captain R.N.R., but the result of this process is not mentioned in his Service Record.[7]

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Hubert W. D. Griffith
Captain of H.M. T.B. 112
30 Jun, 1915[8][9] – 4 Nov, 1915[10]
Succeeded by
Ronald C. Glazebrook
Preceded by
Colin A. G. Hutchison
Captain of H.M.S. Vigilant
4 Nov, 1915[11] – 8 Mar, 1916[12]
Succeeded by
Robert G. Cross
Preceded by
Robert G. Cross
Captain of H.M.S. Boxer
8 Mar, 1916[13] – 3 Aug, 1916[14]
Succeeded by
Cyril S. Durrad

Footnotes

  1. O'Neill Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 240/52/213. f. 213.
  2. O'Neill Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 240/52/213. f. 213.
  3. O'Neill Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 240/82/316. f. 64.
  4. Ship's log.
  5. O'Neill Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 240/52/213. f. 213.
  6. O'Neill Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 240/82/316. f. 64.
  7. O'Neill Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 240/52/213. f. 213.
  8. O'Neill Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 240/82/316. f. 64.
  9. The Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 401a.
  10. O'Neill Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 240/82/316. f. 64.
  11. O'Neill Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 240/82/316. f. 64.
  12. O'Neill Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 240/82/316. f. 64.
  13. O'Neill Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 240/82/316. f. 64.
  14. O'Neill Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 240/82/316. f. 64.