Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Andrew Macmillan was born on 12 August 1889 at Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland, the elder son of John and Christina (née Cameron) MacMillan. In 1891 Andrew was at home at Greenock with his parents and his sister Mary. By 1901 a younger son – James – had been added to the family. Andrew was then a scholar, while his father was a spirit dealer. About 1912 Andrew came to New Zealand and in 1914 he was a farm labourer at Lorne Farm, Hunter, South Canterbury. Edward Neal farmed “Lorne Farm” at Hunter.

When Andrew enlisted, voluntarily, on 23 January 1917 at Carterton, he was residing at Dalefield, a butter-maker for the Dalefield Dairy Company, single and Presbyterian. When he was first medically examined in Canterbury, he was rejected on account of defective vision. As next-of-kin he named Mr E. McNiell, Hunter, Makikihi, South Canterbury, and his mother – Mrs John Macmillan, 19 Forsyth Street, Greenock, Scotland. Mr E. McNiell was surely Edward Neal who had married Mary Cameron in 1911 at Hunter, Canterbury, New Zealand. Mary Cameron, who was a sister of Andrew’s mother, was at home at Greenock with her parents and siblings (including Christina) in 1881, and she was still there in 1891 (Marion also). Or, Mr E. McNeill was, in fact, Mr P. (Peter) McNeill who had married Marion Cameron in Scotland before emigrating. Marion Cameron, who was a sister of Andrew’s mother, was at home at Greenock with her parents and siblings (including Christina) in 1871, and she was again there in 1891 (Mary also). In 1901, Marion, Mary and a younger adopted brother, Alexander Cameron, were still at the family farm at Greenock. Their mother had died in 1889 and their father at the farm in 1897. Peter McNeill, 29 years old, a farmer, and Mrs McNeill, 29years old, his wife, departed from London by the “Athenic” on 30 July 1902, for New Zealand; with them was Mary Cameron, 26 years old, a dairymaid. By 1905 Peter and Marion had settled into farming at Hunter near Waimate. Edward and Mary Neal lived first at Upper Hook before moving to Hunter. There both couples remained, their families very active in the community. Margaret Cameron, a sister of Christina, Marion and Mary, was with the family in 1881 and 1891. In the late 1890s she married Duncan McNeill, a brother of Peter. Duncan and Margaret and two little daughters (Mary Cameron McNeill and Margaret McNeill) emigrated to New Zealand in 1904. A third daughter, Marion Cameron McNeill, was born in 1905 in the Waimate district. The family later moved to Oamaru, were all are buried.

Andrew McMillan and six others entrained at Waimate on Wednesday, 7 March 1917. In mid-April 1917, Rifleman Andrew McMillan [sic] and Signaller E. J. Mercer of the 26th Reinforcements were the recipients of presentations at a social in the Hunter Library Hall, while on final leave from Trentham. There was a large gathering of residents and friends, excellent music for the dance, and a bountiful supper provided by the ladies of the district. The two guests, who were held in high esteem by all who had the pleasure of knowing them, were wished a pleasant voyage and a safe return. Signaller Mercer and Rifleman McMillan were asked to accept as tokens of esteem from Hunter friends, a sterling silver cigarette case each. It was hoped they would long be spared to use the presents, and after doing their bit in the war return to the district safe and sound. The two soldiers suitably replied, after which “They are jolly good fellows” was sung. The gathering broke up about 2 a.m. with the singing of the National Anthem and Auld Lang Syne.

Lance Corporal A. Macmillan embarked with the 26th Reinforcements, leaving on 9 June 1917 by the “Willochra” Devonport, England. When Andrew Macmillian was wounded on 26 August 1918 and admitted to hospital, it was his uncle, Mr McNeill, Hunter, Makikihi, South Canterbury, who was listed as his next-of-kin in the newspaper casualty lists. He returned to New Zealand per the “Ruahine” (Draft 205), leaving from London on 8 December 1918 and arriving on 21 January 1919. Rifleman Macmillan (Makikihi) was due at Waimate by the express on 22 January. He received a pension for gunshot wounds to his left hand with a fracture. He was discharged on 14 October 1919 and was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal for his service in the Western European campaign.

“Thursday, October 2 [1919], will be long remembered by the residents of Hunter, as the date on which the patriotic efforts so well sustained during the period of the war were practically wound up. A beautiful evening was vouchsafed and the library hall, nicely decorated for the occasion, was filled with people from all parts of the district.” The chairman “referred to the good work the men of New Zealand had done on the different fronts, and the good name they had made for themselves among the soldiers gathered from all parts of the world, and said the object of the gathering was to honour the Hunter representatives of the N.Z.E.F., and to present to each of them, as a token of honour and appreciation, a gold medal from the residents.” The patriotic work done for the soldiers, by the ladies of the country, and particularly by those of the Hunter district, was acknowledged. At intervals during the evening musical items were rendered and were much enjoyed. The Rev. A. Julius (Waimate) presented the medals to the returned men. As each man’s name was called, he was greeted with hearty clapping, and the medal was pinned on by a little girl attending the local school, “each child performing her part very gracefully, and evidently very proud of the honour”. After presentation of the last medal, those present sang “They are jolly good Fellows”. Sixteen medals were presented on the night, one of those to Rifleman A. McMillan, and it was pinned on by Mamie Neal (Mary Cameron Neal), the eldest daughter of Mary and Edward Neal. A bountiful supper was then served by the ladies and the good fare provided was done full justice to.

Andrew Macmillan, “of Browns, Southland, eldest son of Mr and Mrs John Macmillan, Greenock, Scotland”, married “Jane, third daughter of Mrs and the late James Cochrane, Pike’s Point, Glenavy,” on 6 August 1924 at the Presbyterian Church, Morven. Mary Cameron Neal, a cousin of Andrew and the eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs E, Neal, Lorne Farm, Hunter, married Alexander Ingram Gilchrist on 14 April 1937 at Knox Church, Waimate. Her sister, Thyna Cameron Neal, was one of the bridesmaids, and her cousins, Ian and William McNeill, were ushers. Marion neal, the second daughter of Mr and Mrs Edward Neal, “Lorne Farm”, Hunter, married Francis Baron McQueen on 22 October 1938 at Knox Church, Waimate. Marion was attended by her sister, Thyna Neal, and her cousin, Molly (Mary) McNeill; while Ian and James McNeill were ushers.

Andrew died on 8 June 1956 at is Dunedin residence, aged 66 years, and was cremated at Andersons Bay Crematorium, Dunedin, his ashes scattered. Andrew bequeathed all his property to his wife Jane and appointed her sole executrix of his will (dated 1948, by which time he had retired to Dunedin). Between 1960 and 1963 Jane married Wilfrid Smith who already had an association with her family through his first marriage (to a Waimate-born much younger half-sister of Jane’s mother). Jane’s grandmother was Emma Neal, so there was a Neal connection to both Andrew and Jane. Jane (known as Jean or Tottie) lived with Wilfrid in Nelson where he died in 1968. Shortly before her death she returned to Dunedin and lived with her older son. She died on 21 December 1969 at the Dunedin Public Hospital. She too, was cremated and her ashes scattered. Andrew and Jane had two sons – John Cochrane Macmillan, who was born in 1926 and died in 1978, and Andrew Hamish Macmillan, who was born in 1928 and died in 2005. Both sons were probably born at Winton, Andrew and Jane farming for some years at Hokonui and later at Clydevale. In her Will (dated 4 July 1969), Jane made specific bequests to both sons, their respective wives (Shirley Catherine and Shirley Elaine) and a granddaughter, Patricia Mary Macmillan (daughter of Andrew). Three brothers of Jane (Cochrane) Macmillan served in World War One – John (Jack) Cochrane, James (Jim) Cochrane and David Cochrane. Stuart Cameron, who was born about 1896 at Greenock and lost his life in 1917 at Ypres, Belgium, was the son of John Cameron and a cousin of Andrew Macmillan. Both Peter McNeill (farmer, Hunter, 4 children) and Duncan McNeill (gardener, Oamaru Public Hospital, 3 children) were listed on the World War One Reserve Roll, as was Edward Neal (farmer, Hunter, 2 children).

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [18 October 2022]; 1891, 1901 Scotland Census returns (ancestry.com.au) [October 2022]; Andersons Bay Dunedin Cremation records (Dunedin City Council) [24 October 2022]; NZ Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com.au) [24 & 27 October 2022]; Waimate Daily Advertiser, 5 March 1917, 11 September 1918, 14 & 21 January 1919, 11 August 1924, Evening Post, 10 September 1918, NZ Times, 10 September 1918, Otago Daily Times, 11 September 1918, Timaru Herald, 11 September 1918, 14 January 1919, 11 October 1919, 12 August 1924, 21 April 1937, 7 November 1938, Star, 11 January 1919, Sun, 11 January 1919 (Papers Past) [11, 24, 25 & 27 October 2022]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

Related Documents

No documents available. 

Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC Genealogy Society

Currently Assigned to

Not assigned.