J. A. "Jock " McNeil

[Speedway ace]

Can anyone help?......Looking for details of............ J.A."Jock"McNeil.

J.A. McNeil, was a well known motorcycle racer in the early 1900s (Board and Dirt tracks)

Despite being called Jock, he was born in Canada, possibly Prince Edward Island circa 1881?
First names may have been Joseph Addison ? 

He spent much time in the USA. References to his career can be found online.

what is certain is that circa 1914-16 he was racing at the Toronto Motordrome (a board track) when he decided to enlist in the army and help the war effort. He joined the 166th Canadian battalion and as motorcycle dispatch rider with the Canadian overseas army.

Circa 1916 he had to have a leg amputated and spent many months recovering in a British army hospital at Moore Barracks, Shorncliffe, Folkstone, England.

He should be inducted to the Canadian Motorcycling Hall of Fame but I doubt they are aware of his existence.

I have found a ref to a Joseph Addison McNeil In the Canadian army service records but I am unsure this is the right person.

Kind regards, Nigel

[elinga]

here is a couple of things I found that might be of help to you.
http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldtimespeedway/message/10929
http://www.statnekov.com/motorcycles/lives12.html
good luck in your search.
regards
Elinga

[RunKitty]

Hi,

I don't know if you have seen this article in the free Google newspaper archives.... I hope you can view it in your location.  It is a photo of J. A. McNeil... and an article about his records, career and his signing up with the CEF.  The article is a couple of columns to the left of the photo - under the title C.M.A. news.

Toronto World newspaper, Feb 6, 1916, page 32.   
http://www.rootschat.com/links/0jpp/

It doesn't give his first name though. 

RK

[RunKitty]

Hi again,

You can read more about him in the US newspapers - free at the Chronicling America site.  I think I found the record breaking ride in Omaha in the Omaha Daily Bee, Oct 18th 1914, sports section, pg 40.  You will probably find a lot about your man on this site.

http://www.rootschat.com/links/0jpr/

Search page:
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/

This is a great site!!

Another place to look will be the Toronto Star pagesofthepast site.  It is a paid site, but not very expensive.  If you live anywhere near Toronto, your library may subscribe to the database and you can access it for free:

http://pagesofthepast.ca/

I had a quick look for you.  I found an article in the Toronto Star - March 21, 1918 at page 22.  It calls him Jimmy McNeil.  It says he came to Toronto from Omaha and Chicago, that he was the fastest motorcyclist at the Toronto Motordrome and was a native of PEI.  It says he went overseas with the 83rd battalion (this is different from the other article that says the 166th - but people moved around...not unusual).  It details the accident and says he spent a lot of time in British hospitals.  It says that at first it was feared that he would have to have his leg amputated.  Later, it says that he returned home safely, and was staying at the Triangle Club. There is nothing here that says he actually did have his leg amputated.   Are you sure that he did??

As for his real name:
This article says he is John.  (It is Chapter 15 from the same source that Elinga found for you)
http://www.statnekov.com/motorcycles/lives15.html
So does Wikipedia (not sure it this is the most credible source though )
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_motorsports_people_by_nickname

The Toronto Star article above says he is Jimmy. 

You found an attestation paper for a Joseph!! 

I am not sure what to tell you!!   

RK

[RunKitty]

Hi again,

You could try the Toronto Archives.  They may have some information about him:
http://www.toronto.ca/archives/

You could also try the Toronto Public Library.  They have an Ask a Librarian feature.  Perhaps they have some materials relating to J. A. McNeil and motorcycle racing in the early 1900s??
http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/ask-a-librarian/

I found the Canadian Motorcycling Hall of Fame site, and your man isn't listed here.  Maybe they have some information about him in their files??
http://motorcyclehalloffame.ca/

RK
 

[Speedway ace]

Hi folks. Elinga and RK thank you so much for your efforts you have made my day! Brilliant!.....

I was aware of the statnekov and yahoo groups websites but thanks again for posting them.

The info I found about his amputation comes from the American magazine "Motorcycle and Bicycle illustrated"
July 1917 (Google books)

It says his leg was amputated but this could well be mistake and has been in hospital 6 months. He was asking for people to send him letters. It gives his battalion as the 166th. His racing career also mentioned.
His hospital address is given along with the first 3 digits of his regiment number 669
Joseph Addison McNeils regimental no. is 669275.  Born Prince Edward Isle

In the Toronto newpaper article it says McNiel was in the 166th battalion and he was born Prince Edward Isle

it would seems his name was Joseph Addison .  I am still hoping to find his marriage and death.

Again many thanks, regards, Nigel   (UK)

[RunKitty]

Hi,

If you want to be sure, you can order the full military file of Joseph Addison McNeil. 

http://www.rootschat.com/links/0jpx/

Link to instructions at the top right of this page.

RK 

[Speedway ace]

Rk you are a gem... 

[valeriec]

On his Attestation Papers and in one of the write ups, it does state that he joined the 166th Bn. This is where it can get confusing.
The 166th was a battalion in the Queen's Own Rifles, enlistment in the Toronto and surrounding areas. Other battalions with the Queen's Own included the 83rd and the 255th. These battalions as well as several other were absorbed into the 12 Reserve Battalion on Jan 8, 1917. I went to the Matrix Project and checked to see what I could find. The 12 Reserve Battalion reinforced the 3rd, 15th, 20th and 75th battalions in France. These fought at Ypres, Mount Sorrel, Somme, Arras, Hill 70, Hindenburg Line and the Pursuit to Mons. Very impressive. Then I went to the nominal rolls to see if I could find which battalion he went overseas with. He was with the 83rd battalion which left Halifax, NS on the SS Olympic on April 28, 1916.

He is listed as
669275, Joseph Addison McNeil, NOK James McNeil, Elmsdale, Prince Co., PEI

I checked the nominal roll of the 166th and no McNeil's listed. The 166th was divided into two groups that left Halifax on Oct. 12 and 17, 1916 on the Olympic and Cameronia.

I haven't been able to definitively find this family on the 1881, 1891, 1901 or 1911 census although there are some good possibilities. (McNeill, NcNeil, MacNeil)

If you order his military file, you may find alot of information that you need. It will more than likely have pay allotments to either his father or mother which could narrow down that info. It will have complete medical documentation as to his injuries, when and where injured, what field hospitals and where he recuperated back in England. The records are very thorough. It will also have a record of all transfers from one battalion to another. Using that information, you can go to the War Diaries and probably determine what battle he was injured in. It will also give his arrival back in Canada and where his destination was. In some cases, it also has death info. I have purchased 3 files and have been extremely impressed with the contents. 

There is a genealogy group in Elmsdale, PEI that may be able to help you find more information.