Colonel Walter Gordon Neilson, (1 October 1876–29 April 1927) was a

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

international rugby football player. He later became an Army officer, serving in the

Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sou ...

and

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

Early life and education

Neilson was born at Thankerton House,

Bothwell Bothwell is a conservation village in the South Lanarkshire council area of Scotland. It lies on the north bank of the River Clyde, adjacent to Uddingston and Hamilton, east-south-east of Glasgow city centre. Description and history An ancie ...

near

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

and educated at

Merchiston Castle School Merchiston Castle School is an independent boarding school for boys in the suburb of Colinton in Edinburgh, Scotland. It has around 470 pupils and is open to boys between the ages of 7 and 18 as either boarding or day pupils; it was modelled a ...

and

Fettes College Fettes College () is a co-educational independent boarding and day school in Edinburgh, Scotland, with over two-thirds of its pupils in residence on campus. The school was originally a boarding school for boys only and became co-ed in 1983. In ...

Rugby Union career

Amateur career

Neilson played for Merchistonians. He also played for West of Scotland.

Provincial career

Neilson played for Glasgow District.

International career

He was capped once for in 1894.Bath, Richard (ed.) ''The Scotland Rugby Miscellany'' (Vision Sports Publishing Ltd, 2007 p137]

Military career

Neilson chose a career in the military. He joined the

Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) was a rifle regiment of the British Army, the only regiment of rifles amongst the Scottish regiments of infantry. It was formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 26th Cameronian Reg ...

before being commissioned into the

Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Argyll (; archaically Argyle, in modern Gaelic, ), sometimes called Argyllshire, is a historic county and registration county of western Scotland. Argyll is of ancient origin, and corresponds to most of the part of the ancient kingdom of ...

as a

second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

on 1 December 1897. He was promoted to

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...

on 1 October 1899, and served in the

from 1899 to 1902 taking part in the advance on Kimberley and the

Battle of Modder River The Battle of Modder River ( af, Slag van die Twee Riviere, lit=Battle of the two rivers) was an engagement in the Boer War, fought at Modder River, on 28 November 1899. A British column under Lord Methuen, that was attempting to relieve the ...

on 28 November 1899. Of his part in the Battle of Modder River the regimental history records:

"At the battle of Modder River, about midday, a man of "G" Company, lying in advance of the general line, was badly wounded, bleeding to death, and unable to crawl back to a small depression in the ground, where Captain Shanahan, R.A.M.C., was attending to the wounded. 2nd Lieut. Neilson seeing this ran out and carried the man to the medical officer, thus saving his life. On returning to the firing line 2nd Lieut. Neilson was shot through the arm...."

During the

Battle of Magersfontein The Battle of MagersfonteinSpelt incorrectly in various English texts as "Majersfontein", "Maaghersfontein" and "Maagersfontein". ( ) was fought on 11 December 1899, at Magersfontein, near Kimberley, South Africa, on the borders of the Cape C ...

in December 1899 Neilson and his men came under heavy fire from their right flank. He ordered his troops to attack the enemy position of 60 men, taking it at bayonet point in hand-to-hand fighting, capturing half and killing or wounding the other half. Neilson was also present during the action at Koodoosberg, the

Battle of Paardeberg The Battle of Paardeberg or Perdeberg ("Horse Mountain") was a major battle during the Second Anglo-Boer War. It was fought near ''Paardeberg Drift'' on the banks of the Modder River in the Orange Free State near Kimberley. Lord Methuen adv ...

and the

Battle of Poplar Grove The Battle of Poplar Grove was an incident on 7 March 1900 during the Second Boer War in South Africa. It followed on from the Relief of Kimberley as the British Army moved to take the Boer capital of Bloemfontein. The Boers were demoralised fo ...

, as well as the actions at Waternal, Houtnek, Bloemberg, Roodepoort and Heilbron. He took part in the operations in the Transvaal and the actions at De Wagen Drift, Zilikats Nek and Olifant's Nek. For his services in South Africa Neilson was awarded the

Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly of other parts of the Commonwealth, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typ ...

(DSO) in 1900 for his gallantry in the actions at Modder River and Magersfonteinand and was twice

Mentioned in Despatches To be mentioned in dispatches (or despatches, MiD) describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face ...

.Medals to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders - Anglo Boer War database
/ref> Neilson served as Adjutant with the

from 1902 until 1905 before being appointed as Brigade Major, Lothian Infantry Brigade, Scottish Command in 1912. In 1908 he married Ida Clementine Graham (1876–1961) of Duntrune, Forfarshire, and had one daughter, Valerie Gordon Graham Neilson (1911–2008). He served as Brigade Major with the 1/1st Lothian Infantry Brigade, Central Force, Home Defence during

from 5 August 1914 until 19 March 1915, before joining the 1st Battalion

at Ypres in March 1915. Gazetted as Brigade Major, 139th Infantry Brigade, Neilson served in France from June 1915 to July 1916 and after with the 34th Division, the 15th Army Corps, the 63rd Division, and Headquarters 4th Army. He was appointed Companion of the

Order of St Michael and St George The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George IV, George IV, Prince of Wales, while he was acting as prince regent for his father, George III, King George III. ...

(CMG) in the

1916 Birthday Honours The 1916 Birthday Honours were appointments by King George V to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of the British Empire. The appointments were made to celebrate the official birthday of The King, and were ...

and was four times

(MiD). Neilson was appointed to the command of the 2nd Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders at

Aldershot Aldershot () is a town in Hampshire, England. It lies on heathland in the extreme northeast corner of the county, southwest of London. The area is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council. The town has a population of 37,131, while the Alders ...

Hampshire Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial county, ceremonial and non-metropolitan county, non-metropolitan counties of England, county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English citi ...

in 1922. He was appointed Chief of the General Staff at Aldershot a month before his death caused by a riding accident while out for an early morning ride before breakfast when his horse fell at a jump at

Tweseldown Racecourse Tweseldown Racecourse southeast of Fleet, Hampshire was originally a National Hunt steeplechasing venue and the home of the equestrian dressage and eventing competitions in the 1948 Summer Olympics. Until 2012 the venue hosted Point to point r ...

and rolled on him from which he sustained serious injuries. Neilson was an experienced rider and his horse had never refused a jump before. Gordon Neilson died two days later at the

Cambridge Military Hospital Cambridge Military Hospital was a hospital completed in 1879 in Aldershot Garrison, Hampshire, England which served the various British Army camps there. During World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviate ...

in Aldershot on 29 April 1927 age 50 and was buried with full military honours at

Aldershot Military Cemetery Aldershot Military Cemetery is a burial ground for military personnel, or ex-military personnel and their families, located in Aldershot#Aldershot Military Town, Aldershot Military Town, Hampshire. The cemetery was created in 1850s by the Royal ...

Family

His father was James Neilson (1838–1903), an Ironmaster and second cousin of

Walter Montgomerie Neilson Walter Montgomerie Neilson (28 November 1819 – 8 July 1889) was a Scottish locomotive and marine engineer and manufacturer. He was born in Glasgow, the son of James Beaumont Neilson, inventor of the hot blast furnace. Walter was trained as an ...

and his mother was Jane Thomson (1848–1913),Birth Certificate (1876) for Walter Gordon Neilson
-

Ancestry.com Ancestry.com LLC is an American genealogy company based in Lehi, Utah. The largest for-profit genealogy company in the world, it operates a network of genealogical, historical records, and related genetic genealogy websites. In November 2018, ...

daughter of

George Thomson George Thomson may refer to: Government and politics * George Thomson (MP for Southwark) (c. 1607–1691), English merchant and Parliamentarian soldier, official and politician * George Thomson, Baron Thomson of Monifieth (1921–2008), Scottish p ...

, the famous Glasgow shipbuilder.Rennie Alcock, Medal Group to Colonel Walter Gordon Neilson - British Medals website
/ref> He was the brother of

George George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd Presiden ...

Robert The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...

and Willie Neilson who were also capped for Scotland. In 1891, he made his debut, along with his brother George, in the game against – it is the only time that brothers have debuted together for Scotland, with the exception of the joint debut of

Gavin Gavin is a male given name originating from Scotland. It is a variation on the medieval name Gawain, meaning "God send" or "white hawk" (or falcon). Sir Gawain was a knight of King Arthur's Round Table. ''Sir Gawain and the Green Knight'' is an ep ...

and Scott Hastings.Bath, p97 One of the four Neilson brothers played in each of the 25 matches between Willie and George's debut in 1891, until 1899, when Robert had to withdraw from the

Calcutta Cup The Calcutta Cup is the trophy awarded to the winner of the rugby match between England and Scotland played annually in the Six Nations Championship. Like the match itself (England–Scotland), the Calcutta Cup is the oldest trophy contested be ...

line-up after breaking his nose. His brothers George, William and Robert, all became presidents of the

Scottish Rugby Union The Scottish Rugby Union (SRU; gd, Aonadh Rugbaidh na h-Alba) is the governing body of rugby union in Scotland. Styled as Scottish Rugby, it is the second oldest Rugby Union, having been founded in 1873. The SRU oversees the national league s ...

.Scots war hero's seven medals could fetch £5,000
- ''

Daily Express The ''Daily Express'' is a national daily United Kingdom middle-market newspaper printed in tabloid format. Published in London, it is the flagship of Express Newspapers, owned by publisher Reach plc. It was first published as a broadsheet i ...

'' 24 November 2017

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Neilson, Gordon 1876 births 1927 deaths Military personnel from Lanarkshire People educated at Merchiston Castle School People educated at Fettes College Scottish rugby union players Scotland international rugby union players

Gordon Gordon may refer to: People * Gordon (given name), a masculine given name, including list of persons and fictional characters * Gordon (surname), the surname * Gordon (slave), escaped to a Union Army camp during the U.S. Civil War * Clan Gordon, ...

Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George British Army personnel of World War I British Army personnel of the Second Boer War Burials at Aldershot Military Cemetery Merchistonian FC players West of Scotland FC players Glasgow District (rugby union) players Rugby union players from South Lanarkshire Rugby union forwards