Born in 1890 to William and Mary (nee Hush) Harold Neilson was the eldest of their 5 children.
Described as a Teamster, Harrold enlisted at Holsworthy with the 10th Reinforcements, 18th Battalion on the 17th of October 1915, aged 25 years and 6 months. His next of kin (NOK) was his father of Bandon Grove, Dungog. Harold’s previous military experience was serving 6 months in the Light Horse.
Having served in the Gallipoli campaign and after returning to Egypt, the 18th Battalion was rebuilt and further training was undertaken before it was sent to France, arriving there in late March 1916. The 10th Reinforcements embarked aboard ‘HMAT A15 Star of England’ at Sydney on the 8th of March bound for Egypt. With the 18th Battalion already in France, on arrival they were taken on strength with the 5th Training Battalion at Tel el Kebir on the 24th of April. After further training, they departed Alexandria to arrive in the UK where they were transferred from the 1st Com Dep on the 22nd of July to be taken on strength with the 5th Training Battalion, Hollestone on the 29th of July. They proceeded overseas on the 10th of September and marched in to 2nd ADBD, Etaples on the 11th. On the 23rd of September, the 10th Reinforcements marched out to their unit joining the battalion in the field the same day.
Before their arrival, the 18th Battalion had been in action at Pozieres between the 25th of July and the 5th of August and was then committed to the attack on the Mouquet Farm trenches, although in a reserve role, between the 18th and the 28th of August. After a spell in a quieter sector of the front in Belgium, the 2nd Division, which included the 5th Brigade, and which now included the 10th Reinforcements, returned south again in October.
On the 25th of November Harold reported to the 3rd Australian Field Ambulance sick and on the 6th of December was admitted to the 2nd General Hospital, Havre with trench foot. On the 9th he was transferred to the 4th Convalescent Depot and was discharged to Base Details on the 15th arriving at 2nd ADBD, Etaples on the 17th. He arrived back at his battalion on the 9th of January 1917. The 18th Battalion was spared from having to mount an attack across the quagmire that the Somme battlefield had become but did have to continue manning the front through a very bleak winter, the coldest in living memory.
Harold again reported sick, this time to the 45th Casualty Clearing Station on the 6th of February suffering from Appendicitis and on the 9th was transferred to the 11th Stationary Hospital, Rouen. On the 2nd of March he boarded the ‘H.S. Warilda’ at Havre and arrived at the 1st London General Hospital, Camberwell the same day. On the 4th of April he was discharged from hospital for furlough and he reported to Number 3 Com Depot, Hurdcott on the 19th of April. On the 15th of May he was transferred to H & D Depot at Perham Downs and on the 15th of June departed Southampton to arrive at the 2nd ADBD, Havre on the 16th.
While away from his unit, the Germans shortened their lines and withdrew to the Hindenburg Line, after which the 18th Battalion took part in the fighting around Warlencourt in February 1917 as the Allies sought to follow up the German withdrawal. A brief advance followed before they came up against the forward positions of the Hindenburg Line. In May, the 18th Battalion was committed to the Second Battle of Bullecourt.
He was back with his battalion on the 5th of July where the battalion moved again to Belgium sector and saw further action around the Ypres Salient at Menin Road between the 20th and the 22nd of September. An offensive operation, which was part of the Third Battle of Ypres was undertaken by the British Second Army in an attempt to take sections of the curving ridge, east of Ypres, which the Menin Road crossed. This action saw the involvement of the Australian 1st and 2nd Divisions AIF in the Third Battle of Ypres. The attack was successful along its entire front, though the advancing troops had to overcome formidable entrenched German defensive positions which included mutually supporting concrete pill-box strongpoints and also resist fierce German counterattacks. A feature of this battle was the intensity of the opening British artillery support. The two AIF Divisions sustained 5,013 casualties in the action.
On the 29th of September Harold was reported ‘Missing in Action’ Belgium on the 20th of September 1917. A court of Inquiry held on the 16th of March 1918 revised to the report to ‘Killed in Action’, Belgium, on the 20th of September 1917.
