{{Short description|Scotland international rugby union player}} {{for|Scottish footballer|Gordon Neilson (footballer)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}} {{Infobox rugby biography | name = Gordon Neilson | image = Colonel Walter Gordon Neilson.jpg | caption = | birth_name = Walter Gordon Neilson | birth_date = {{Birth date|1876|10|01|df=yes}} | birth_place = Bothwell, Scotland | death_date = {{Death date and age |1927|04|29|1876|10|01|df=y}} | death_place = Aldershot, England | height = | weight = | position = Forward | amatyears1 = | amatteam1 = Merchistonians | amatteam2 = West of Scotland | ru_amclubcaps = | ru_amclubpoints = | ru_amupdate = | provinceyears1 = | province1 = Glasgow District | provinceapps1 = | provincepoints1 = | repteam1 = Scotland | repyears1 = 1894 | repcaps1 = 1 | reppoints1 = 0 | ru_ntupdate = | coachteams1 = | coachyears1 = | ru_coachupdate = | relatives = George Thomson, uncle<br/>George Neilson, brother<br/>Robert Neilson, brother<br/>Willie Neilson, brother }}
Colonel '''Walter Gordon Neilson''', {{post-nominals|country=GBR|sep=,|CMG|DSO}} (1 October 1876–29 April 1927) was a Scotland international rugby football player.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://en.espn.co.uk/scotland/rugby/player/1121.html|title = Walter Gordon Neilson}}</ref>
He later became an Army officer, serving in the Boer War and World War I.<ref name=Bath1/>
==Early life and education==
Neilson was born at Thankerton House, Bothwell near Glasgow and educated at Merchiston Castle School and Fettes College.
==Rugby Union career==
[[File:Colonel Walter Gordon Neilson 1891.jpg|thumb|right|Neilson wearing his international cap in 1894]]
===Amateur career===
Neilson played for Merchistonians.<ref name=Bath1/>
He also played for West of Scotland.<ref name="news.google.com">{{cite web| url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PoxEAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RbUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3794%2C5994353| title = The Glasgow Herald - Google News Archive Search}}</ref>
===Provincial career===
Neilson played for Glasgow District.<ref name="news.google.com"/>
===International career===
He was capped once for {{nrut|Scotland}} in 1894.<ref name=Bath1>Bath, Richard (ed.) ''The Scotland Rugby Miscellany'' (Vision Sports Publishing Ltd, 2007 {{ISBN|1-905326-24-6}} p137]</ref>
==Military career==
thumb|right|Colonel Gordon Neilson in about 1900
Neilson chose a career in the military. He joined the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) before being commissioned into the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders as a second lieutenant on 1 December 1897. He was promoted to lieutenant on 1 October 1899, and served in the Boer War from 1899 to 1902 taking part in the advance on Kimberley and the Battle of Modder River on 28 November 1899.<ref name=Alcock/>
Of his part in the Battle of Modder River the regimental history records: <blockquote> "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...."<ref name=Alcock/> </blockquote>
During the Battle of Magersfontein 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.<ref name=Express/> Neilson was also present during the action at Koodoosberg, the Battle of Paardeberg and the Battle of Poplar Grove, 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 (DSO) in 1900 for his gallantry in the actions at Modder River and Magersfonteinand and was twice Mentioned in Despatches.<ref name=Alcock/><ref name=Anglo>[https://angloboerwar.com/forum/5-medals-and-awards/25162-medals-to-the-argyll-and-sutherland-highlanders Medals to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders - Anglo Boer War database]</ref><ref>''The London Gazette'' 10 September 1901 and 29 February 1902</ref> [[File:Colonel Walter Gordon Neilson grave Aldershot.jpg|thumb|upright|Neilson's grave in Aldershot Military Cemetery]] Neilson served as Adjutant with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders 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 World War I from 5 August 1914 until 19 March 1915, before joining the 1st Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders at Ypres in March 1915. Gazetted as Brigade Major, 139th Infantry Brigade, Neilson served in France from June 1915 to July 1916<ref>[https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/1262/30850_A001142-01957?pid=3120001&backurl=https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv%3D1%26dbid%3D1262%26h%3D3120001%26tid%3D%26pid%3D%26usePUB%3Dtrue%26_phsrc%3Ddjv1162%26_phstart%3DsuccessSource&treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=djv1162&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true W G Neilson in the British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920] - Ancestry.com {{subscription required}}</ref> 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 (CMG) in the 1916 Birthday Honours<ref>''The London Gazette'' 3 June 1916 - Maj. Walter Gordon Neilson, D.S.O., Arg. & Suth'd Highrs</ref> and was four times Mentioned in Despatches (MiD).<ref name=Anglo/><ref>''The London Gazette'' - 1 January 1916; 15 January 1916; 4 January 1917, and 15 May 1917</ref>
Neilson was appointed to the command of the 2nd Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders at Aldershot in Hampshire 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 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 in Aldershot on 29 April 1927 age 50<ref>'Colonel's Fatal Ride. Sad End to Brilliant Career' - ''Evening News'' - 29 April 1927</ref> and was buried with full military honours at Aldershot Military Cemetery.<ref name=Express/>
==Family==
His father was James Neilson (1838–1903), an Ironmaster and second cousin of Walter Montgomerie Neilson and his mother was Jane Thomson (1848–1913),<ref>[https://www.ancestry.co.uk/mediaui-viewer/tree/60590504/person/38233318819/media/e0a2d55b-ac74-4c7d-9411-b0a4566621a6 Birth Certificate (1876) for Walter Gordon Neilson] - Ancestry.com {{subscription required}}</ref> daughter of George Thomson, the famous Glasgow shipbuilder.<ref name=Alcock>{{Cite web |url=http://www.british-medals.co.uk/british-medals/awards-gallantry-and-distinguished-service/cmg-boer-war-dso-argyll-and-sutherland-hig |title=Rennie Alcock, Medal Group to Colonel Walter Gordon Neilson - British Medals website |access-date=9 February 2019 |archive-date=27 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190427022643/http://www.british-medals.co.uk/british-medals/awards-gallantry-and-distinguished-service/cmg-boer-war-dso-argyll-and-sutherland-hig |url-status=dead }}</ref>
He was the brother of George, Robert and Willie Neilson<ref name=Alcock/> who were also capped for Scotland.<ref name=Bath1/> In 1891, he made his debut, along with his brother George, in the game against {{nrut|Wales}} – it is the only time that brothers have debuted together for Scotland, with the exception of the joint debut of Gavin and Scott Hastings.<ref name=Bath2>Bath, p97</ref> 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 line-up after breaking his nose.<ref name=Bath2/><ref name=Anglo/>
His brothers George, William and Robert, all became presidents of the Scottish Rugby Union.<ref name=Express>[https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/884092/scotland-walter-neilson-medals-auction-boer-war-world-one-rugby-union Scots war hero's seven medals could fetch £5,000] - ''Daily Express'' 24 November 2017</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Neilson, Gordon}} Category:1876 births Category:1927 deaths Category:Military personnel from South Lanarkshire Category:People educated at Merchiston Castle School Category:People educated at Fettes College Category:Scottish rugby union players Category:Scotland international rugby union players Gordon Category:Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Category:Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George Category:British Army personnel of World War I Category:British Army personnel of the Second Boer War Category:Burials at Aldershot Military Cemetery Category:Merchistonian FC players Category:West of Scotland FC players Category:Glasgow District (rugby union) players Category:Rugby union players from South Lanarkshire Category:Rugby union forwards