NEELY, Arthur Cecil

War
1st World War
Date of Birth
Date Attested
Attested at
Clinton, Ontario
Original Unit
161st Huron Battalion
Regimental Number
654417
Rank
Private
Date of Death
Age at Death
32 years 2 months
Cemetery
La Chaudiere Military Cemetery - Pas de Calais - France
Cenotaph
Seaforth Cenotaph
Biographical Summary

DIVISIONAL UNIT:         3rd Canadian Infantry Division
                                             9th Infantry Brigade
                                             58th Battalion - Central Ontario
                                             Canadian Infantry Corps
SERVICE NO:                   654417
RESIDENCE:                    Seaforth – Ontario 
DATE OF BIRTH:            April 1, 1885
                                             Seaforth – Tuckersmith Township – County of Huron - Ontario
DATE OF DEATH:           June 26, 1917                       32 years     2 months
CEMETERY:                     La Chaudiere Military Cemetery – Lens –
                                             Pas de Calais – France
                                             II     A     1/2
PARENTS:                         Mr. Simon and Mary Neely – Seaforth - Ontario
Occupation:                        Baker                                    Religion:     Methodist
Enlistment:                         Clinton – February 9, 1916 – 161st Huron Battalion 
Enlistment Age:                 30 years     10 months

The 161st embarked from Halifax and Canada on November 1, 1916 and arrived overseas in Liverpool on 
November 11, 1916. Private Neely transferred to the 58th Battalion on November 27, 1916 and went overseas to France and joined his unit on December 22, 1916.
Private Neely was killed in action while performing his military duties with his unit during an attack north east of Vimy.
The weather was good with winds from the south.
At 8 am the Brigade was ordered to proceed to the front and take over command from the 7th Brigade.
The 58th Battalion had advanced their lines during the morning push forward at by mid-afternoon had posts in Amble and Alcove Trenches with one platoon astride the railway tracks where Adept Trench meets it and were occupying Adept to Beaver Trenches. They also had advance posts in the ruined houses on the Avion Road west of the railway track.
The 58th Battalion sent out strong patrols at dark to reconnoitre Avion Trench and if there was no enemy and they were to occupy it. One patrol proceeded along Amble until it reached the junction with Avion. One party went left and found the trench badly damaged.
Here they took heavy fire from enemy snipers who were positioned in a small communications trench running north from Amble and Avion junction. The investigating party that went right found the trench blocked with wire which they removed, moved along the trench about 100 yards and met very heavy enemy opposition. Some bombing took place and when a large enemy party tries an outflanking movement they decided to withdraw. One patrol from the 58th Battalion was west of the railway were held up by enemy rifle and machine-gun fire.
It was either during the heavy enemy sniper fire or the enemy rifle and machine gun fire when Private Neely lost his life performing his duties.