Sid O'Neill explained

Sid O'Neill
Fullname:	Sidney John O'Neill
Birth Date:	4 July 1888
Birth Place:	Maldon, Victoria
Death Place:	Gallipoli, Ottoman Turkey
Originalteam:	Maldon and Xavier College
Position:	Back pocket
Statsend:	1909
Years1:	1909
Games Goals1:	1 (0)

Sidney John O'Neill (4 July 1888 – 7 August 1915) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy in the Victorian Football League. He played his only league game against University, in the back pocket. He was killed in action in World War I.

Death

He was killed in action at Gallipoli on 7 August 1915.^[1]

Obituary

        SERGEANT SIDNEY JOHN O'NEILL
(killed) was a son of Dr. and Mrs. O'Neill, of Kooyong road, Armadale, and was 27 years of age.
Educated at Xavier College, Kew, he afterwards pursued pastoral pursuits in New South Wales and Queensland.
Shortly after declaration of war he left Brisbane for Melbourne, where he enlisted, and joined the 8th Light Horse in September.
He was soon promoted corporal, and at Gallipoli sergeant.
Sergeant O'Neill was a great grandson of Captain James Cuncliffe, who fought at Waterloo. – The Argus, 17 September 1915.^[2]

See also

• List of Victorian Football League players who died on active service

References

• Holmesby, Russell & Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers. 7th ed. Melbourne: Bas Publishing.
• Main, J. & Allen, D., "O'Neill, Sydney", pp. 142–143 in Main, J. & Allen, D., Fallen – The Ultimate Heroes: Footballers Who Never Returned From War, Crown Content, (Melbourne), 2002.

Notes and References

1. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1556588 Killed in Action: O'Neill, The Argus, (Saturday, 4 September 1915), p.13.
2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1561135 Roll of Honour: Sergeant Sidney John O'Neill, The Argus, (Friday, 17 September 1915), p.6.