He was and remains a mysterious figure..

Wilder-Neligan, Maurice (1882 - 1923)
He was and remains a mysterious figure, save for the brief years of his military achievement.

From the landing on Gallipoli on 25 April he was in his element.

After recovering, he took part in desperate fighting at Bullecourt in May 1917 and in the 3rd battle of Ypres. For brief periods that year he was acting commanding officer of the 9th Battalion and of the 10th. Promoted lieutenant-colonel, he returned to the 10th on 30 June as its commander; 'within a few months [he] infused into that battalion a special eagerness'. His determined and imaginative training prepared it for the battle of Polygon Wood in September—with brilliant results.


To C. E. W. Bean he was 'a restless and adventurous spirit', 'an impetuous, daredevil officer but free of the carelessness with which those qualities are often associated'. His eccentricities were famous and were often shown in the embarrassing way he treated his officers, but much was forgiven so masterly a commander. If the rank and file cursed him, they also trusted him.