India Medal 1895 - 1902 with clasp "Relief of Chitral 1895".
3073 Pte. A. O'Hara, King's Own Scottish Borderers.
Alexander O'Hara, a Roman Catholic Irishman, attested for the King's Own Scottish Borderers on 15th December 1888, agreeing to serve for seven years with the Colours and five years in the Reserve. He was already serving in the 4th (Volunteer) Battalion of the Scottish Rifles. His Attestation Papers give his trade as "labourer" and describe him as 18 years and 2 months old, just over 5' 5" tall, weighing 128lbs and with a fresh complexion, blue eyes and light brown hair.
Two days after enlisting, Alexander went absent and was apprehended by the civil power in Glasgow on 20th January 1889, dressed in plain clothes. Returned to the Depot at Berwick, he was tried on 5th February on the charge of "deserting her Majesty's service", found guilty, and sentenced to 21 days imprisonment with hard labour. This was only the start of a long series of conflicts with military authority. On 8th August 1889, Alexander was deprived of 5 days' pay and confined to barracks fo 16 days after being found guilty of absenting himself from 31st July until brought back under escort a week later.
Two days after enlisting, Alexander went absent and was apprehended by the civil power in Glasgow on 20th January 1889, dressed in plain clothes. Returned to the Depot at Berwick, he was tried on 5th February on the charge of "deserting her Majesty's service", found guilty, and sentenced to 21 days imprisonment with hard labour. This was only the start of a long series of conflicts with military authority. On 8th August 1889, Alexander was deprived of 5 days' pay and confined to barracks fo 16 days after being found guilty of absenting himself from 31st July until brought back under escort a week later.
In January 1891, Alexander was transferred to the 1st Battalion of the KOSB at Raglan Barracks in Devonport. Here he succeeded in getting more entries in the Regimental Defaulter Book: 2nd April 1891 - Not obeying an order & having an untidy berth - 14 days confined to barracks; 6th April 1891 - Absent from answering his name at 8.00pm (when a defaulter till 11.30pm) - 96 hours imprisonment with hard labour; 7th April 1891 - Attempting to smuggle tobacco into prison & inattention in the ranks - 24 hours punishment diet. 8th April 1891 - Not complying with an order & having his cell irregular - 24 hours bread and water and deprived of bedding.
Less than two weeks later on 19th April, Pte O'Hara was arrested by the civil power and convicted the following day at the Petty Sessions Court of three charges of wilful damage. This time he got one month in H.M. Prison Plymouth, 14 days of which were with hard labour. Once released it was only a few months before he was again up before the CO on various charges: 31st August 1891 - Absent from gymnasium at 2.00pm, returned to barracks at 8.00am 1/9/91 improperly dressed - deprived 1 days pay and 14 days confined to barracks; 2nd September 1891 - Having a rusty rifle & taking Pte Edwards' rifle on parade - 14 days confined to barracks.
On 11th November, Alexander O'Hara left Devonport to start over five years foreign service with the 2nd Battalion KOSB at Rawalpindi in India. Army life abroad seems to have suited him better; on 2nd September 1893, for example, he was granted his 1st Good Conduct Pay. In 1895, Pte O'Hara earned the India Medal with clasp "Relief of Chitral 1895" as the 2nd Battalion KOSB were part of the relief column under Lieutenant General Sir R. C. Low GCB, which fought its way north via the Malakand Pass to the besieged garrison at Chitral. Interestingly, the clasps "Defence of Chitral 1895" and "Relief of Chitral 1895" were issued without lugs as it was not envisioned at the time that the India Medal would be awarded with other clasps for further campaigns. In September, Pte O'Hara was awarded his 2nd Good Conduct Pay but this was forfeited almost immediately when he was absent from tattoo on 29th September 1895. He seems to have slipped back into his old ways, getting 8 days CB for breaking out of hospital whilst a patient and being found in the Rawalpindi bazaar after tattoo improperly dressed in November 1895, and getting a further 10 days CB for leaving his guard without permission in February 1896.
Less than two weeks later on 19th April, Pte O'Hara was arrested by the civil power and convicted the following day at the Petty Sessions Court of three charges of wilful damage. This time he got one month in H.M. Prison Plymouth, 14 days of which were with hard labour. Once released it was only a few months before he was again up before the CO on various charges: 31st August 1891 - Absent from gymnasium at 2.00pm, returned to barracks at 8.00am 1/9/91 improperly dressed - deprived 1 days pay and 14 days confined to barracks; 2nd September 1891 - Having a rusty rifle & taking Pte Edwards' rifle on parade - 14 days confined to barracks.
On 11th November, Alexander O'Hara left Devonport to start over five years foreign service with the 2nd Battalion KOSB at Rawalpindi in India. Army life abroad seems to have suited him better; on 2nd September 1893, for example, he was granted his 1st Good Conduct Pay. In 1895, Pte O'Hara earned the India Medal with clasp "Relief of Chitral 1895" as the 2nd Battalion KOSB were part of the relief column under Lieutenant General Sir R. C. Low GCB, which fought its way north via the Malakand Pass to the besieged garrison at Chitral. Interestingly, the clasps "Defence of Chitral 1895" and "Relief of Chitral 1895" were issued without lugs as it was not envisioned at the time that the India Medal would be awarded with other clasps for further campaigns. In September, Pte O'Hara was awarded his 2nd Good Conduct Pay but this was forfeited almost immediately when he was absent from tattoo on 29th September 1895. He seems to have slipped back into his old ways, getting 8 days CB for breaking out of hospital whilst a patient and being found in the Rawalpindi bazaar after tattoo improperly dressed in November 1895, and getting a further 10 days CB for leaving his guard without permission in February 1896.
On 14th January 1897, Alexander arrived back in the UK and was transferred to the 1st Class Army Reserve a week later. On 28th April the following year, he married Ellen Murray at the Sacred Heart Chapel in Glasgow. His address at this time was 21 Abercromby Street and he was working as a labourer. But such a state of affairs could not last long; following the outbreak of the Boer war, Alexander was recalled from the Reserve in October 1899 and rejoined the KOSB Depot on 18th December 1899.Posted to the 1st Battalion, he sailed with them on the Braemar Castle, arriving at the Cape around 26th January. In February, the 1st KOSB fought in the Battle of Paardeberg and various other engagements up to the surrender of Cronje on the 27th. On 29th of March, the Battalion were in action at Karee Siding, clearing some hills held by the Boers north of Bloemfontein. Here the KOSB lost 1 officer and 14 men killed, and had 3 officers and 42 men wounded, one of whom was Pte O'Hara, who was wounded severely. For his service in the Boer War, Pte O'Hara received the Queen's South Africa Medal with clasps for "Cape Colony" and "Paardeberg".
In July 1900, Alexander was on his way home. His discharge from the army came on 4th February 1902. He had served a total of 13 years.
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