Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Dick as he was always known, was the third child of Omar, the Hallaton carrier general carter and his wife Sophia. After leaving school he helped his father as carrier on his trips to Leicester and Market Harborough. He then went to work as a groom for a Mr Stokes in Great Bowden, a horse dealer. Dick joined up in the early enthusiasm on the outbreak of war, joining the 5th Battalion Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry on 22nd August 1914 with service number 101383. Seven months of training followed at various camps in England. Dick obviously had musical ability and was a bugler in the Regimental Band. (He is at the back left on the group photograph). On 19th May 1915, Dick was in the advance party of the Battalion to leave for France. Endless very slow train journeys followed, and with much marching they slowly made their way to the Front. By early September the Battalion had moved further north into the low lying and wet countryside of West Flanders south west of Ypres, working on trenches of the second line. A typical night would see a working party move out at 10.30pm and return at 01.00am. Tiring, wet work. Horses had a terrible time. Preparations were made for a major attack. Full scale practices in mock up British and German trenches copied from aerial photographs. On Sunday 19th September all ranks had a hot bath and clean shirt. At 03.30am on 24th in light drizzle the assault was launched. It was a disaster. Some British shells fell short killing and wounding our own men. A gap in the British line was created and the Germans counterattacked strongly. Thirteen out of fifteen officers were killed or wounded and 441 other ranks. Among their number was Lance Corporal Herbert Elsden “Dick” Neale. Dick has no known grave and is commemorated on Hallaton War Memorial and the Menin Gate at Ypres.

Information (including photographs) kindly provided by Dennis Kenyon.