McDOUGALL, Neil Gordon

DIVISIONAL UNIT:        3rd Canadian Infantry Division
                                             9th Infantry Brigade
                                             58th Battalion - Central Ontario
                                             Canadian Infantry Corps
SERVICE NO:                   654287
AWARDS:       Military Medal
RESIDENCE:                    Bayfield – Ontario 
DATE OF BIRTH:            December 10, 1895
                                             Bayfield – Goderich Township – County of Huron - Ontario
DATE OF DEATH            November 22, 1917              21 years     11 months
CEMETERY:                     St. Sever Cemetery Extension – Rouen –
                                             Seine-Maritime – France
                                             III     P     7A
PARENTS:                         Mrs. Mary McDougall – Bayfield - Ontario
Occupation:                        Farming                                Religion:     Presbyterian
Enlistment:                         Clinton – January 19, 1916 – 161st Huron Battalion
Enlistment Age:                 20 years     1 month

The 161st Battalion arrived in England on November 11, 1916 on the S.S. Lapland.
He was appointed to Sergeant at Dibgate on November 1 which was the same day his unit left Canada for England. He reverts to rank so he can accompany the draft to France on November 25, 1916. He then transfers to the 58th Battalion and goes into France on November 30th.  He joins his unit in the field on December 23, 1916. From early January 1917 until the end of February he dealt with some health issues. He is appointed Lance Corporal in the field on May 1, 1917 and then promoted to Corporal in early July. Then he is promoted to Sergeant on September 16, 1917.
Sergeant is awarded the Military Medal for bravery on September 17, 1917. The Military Medal was awarded to Sergeant McDougall for his action on the battlefield on July 30, 1917. The citation reads…..for conspicuous gallantry and good leadershipin the attack upon an enemy trench. He brought up reinforcements to the party and killed at least four of the enemy himself. After the retirement had been ordered, he stayed behind with Sergeant Turbull and together assisted their Officer out, who had been wounded and may have fallen in enemy hands but for their action.
The planned attack onto the enemy positions began at 5:40 am with the infantry following the barrage which was slower on the right and the barrage was unevenly distributed and this caused casualties in the first assaulting waves. The latter assaulting waves took possession of three pillboxes in Lamkeek and Dad trenches. The infantry was subject to very heavy enfilade enemy fire from the area of Bellevue Farm. The infantry attacking Crest Farm also came under heavy enemy fire and the men had to occupy shell holes and a severe fight took place for the possession of Contour Trench which continued until the enemy surrendered. Heavy casualties were taken by the 58th Battalion.
It was during this assault when Sergeant McDougal was seriously wounded in the right thigh on October 27, 1917. He was tended to on the field and taken to No. 8 Canadian Field Ambulance before being sent to No. 44 British Casualty Clearing Station - Brandhoek. On October 30th, he was transferred by No. 24 Ambulance Train to No. 9 Lakeside USA General Hospital located in Rouen with shrapnel wounds in the right thigh and a fractured right thigh. The shrapnel wounds had gone right through his thigh. Sergeant McDougal was also wounded in left buttock and he was given 1000 cc of blood.
On November 12, 1917, the right leg was amputated at the hip. The femur was badly shattered and there was haemorrhaging from the Scrotic artery. He was listed as seriously ill. His stump was dressed.
There was a sharp haemorrhage from the circumflex artery and this was redressed.
Sergeant McDougal died from the wounds received 27 days earlier at 3 am on November 22, 1917.