An Infantry soldier, who combines frontline leadership with technical drone innovation, has been named the first recipient of The Fitzgibbon Award – which recognises excellence in junior ranks.
Corporal Luke O’Neill shakes hand with WO1 John Miller (Army Sergeant Major) and Major Marc Ravenhill on the steps of Sandhurst.
General Sir Roly Walker (Chief of the General Staff) Corporal Luke O’Neill (1 Riffles) recipient of the Fitzgibbon Award and WO1 John Miller (Army Sergeant Major) pose for a picture on the steps of Sandhurst.
Corporal (Cpl) Luke O’Neill, a Section Commander with B Company, 1st Battalion, The Rifles (1 RIFLES), was selected from strong competition across the Army.
A new award for exceptional junior soldiers
The Fitzgibbon Award is a new Army-wide accolade that recognises exceptional performance at junior rank level – Private to Corporal - and is named after the youngest-ever Victoria Cross recipient.
“B Company are so proud of Cpl O’Neill for being the first recipient of the prestigious Fitzgibbon Award, it is truly well deserved for his tireless efforts"
The award celebrates those who inspire others and raise standards through professionalism, initiative, and leadership.
General Sir Roly Walker, Chief of the General Staff, and the Army Sergeant Major presented an engraved commemorative watch, in a premium presentation case with a signed citation, to Corporal O’Neill at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst on Friday 17 April.
General Sir Roly Walker, Chief of the General Staff, giving a speech at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst during the Fitzgibbon Award ceremony.
'The hard work has been recognised'
Luke, aged 31, was chosen from 25 nominations within 1st (UK) Division alone, underlining the impact he has had within his battalion.
Luke recalls receiving the call from the Army Sergeant Major while at home with his four-year-old daughter.
“It was very surreal,” he said. “I didn’t really understand what I’d done that was so special. But it’s hugely motivating and makes you feel that the hard work has been recognised.”
Major Alex Aitken, Officer Commanding of B Company, 1 RIFLES, said: “B Company are so proud of Cpl O’Neill for being the first recipient of the prestigious Fitzgibbon Award, it is truly well deserved for his tireless efforts.
“Humble, compassionate and selflessly committed to his Riflemen, he is exactly the sort of soldier worthy of recognition and a fine example of the JNCOs [Junior Non-Commissioned Officers] that make the British Army one of the best in the world.”
From Birmingham to the frontline
Originally from Hall Green in South Birmingham, Cpl O’Neill joined the Army in 2015, having worked in a range of civilian roles, mainly within construction.
“I’d always wanted to join the Army,” he said. “Even when I was doing other jobs, I always came back to the idea that this was what I really wanted to do.”
He began his military career with 2 RIFLES in Northern Ireland, before passing through ITC Catterick and subsequently joining 1 RIFLES, where he is now a Section Commander based in Chepstow.
Along the way, he has developed a broad range of military and personal skills, including leadership and adaptability, qualities that have made him stand out as a junior leader.
Drone innovation on the battlefield
Portrait of Corporal Luke O’Neill, Section Commander, B Company, of 1st Battalion The Rifles (1 RIFLES).
Alongside his role as a commander, Cpl O’Neill has become a recognised drone specialist within the battalion.
His interest in technology began before joining the Army, having studied software programming at Solihull college. That foundation later enabled him to specialise in drone technology, attending training with the Royal Artillery Surveillance and Target Acquisition unit in 2021.
Since then, he has supported the integration of drone capability at battalion level.
“Understanding how we use drones also helps you understand how the enemy might use them,” he explained. “It gives you a massive advantage when you’re trying to anticipate the next move.”
More recently, training with the National Training Unit in California has broadened his exposure to how allied forces employ similar technology on modern battlefields. He said: “The way they’re using drone tech isn’t too dissimilar to how we’re using them, so we have an idea of how other nations are using drones too, which is important.”
Looking ahead, Cpl O’Neill hopes the award will support future promotion and his aspiration to become an instructor at Sandhurst. He is now preparing to deploy on Exercise Rhino Storm in Germany.
