Colonel Walter Gordon Neilson, CMG, DSO (1 October 1876–29 April 1927) was a Scotland international rugby football player.

[2] Neilson was born at Thankerton House, Bothwell near Glasgow and educated at Merchiston Castle School and Fettes College.

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.

[4] Of his part in the Battle of Modder River the regimental history records: "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.

[13] 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.