TOPIC:

I am in the process of acquiring a QSA to the above chap with clasps RoL, Tugela Heights, TVL and SA 01 and 02

There are two things I would like to know:

Firstly, on the Medal roll it is stated that he was discharged on 20/8/00 "wounded in action" - what battle or skirmish would this have been? I thought Bergendal but that only started a day later on 21/8.

My second question relates to the first point - if he was discharged on 20/8/00 how would it be possible for him to earn both date clasps? I can trace no further service for this man.

Any input would be appreciated.

Regards

Rory

It would certainly be interesting to look at the rivets on Michael O'Connor's medal, he might have added them or they may well have been added years later, I doubt if they were actually issued to him, WO100/236 is certainly very interesting with page 181 a little more revealing than page 116, I think that the best thing to do would be to take a careful look at WO126/2-3 just in case that tells the complete story.

Rory wrote: I am in the process of acquiring a QSA to the above chap with clasps RoL, Tugela Heights, TVL and SA 01 and 02

There are two things I would like to know:

Firstly, on the Medal roll it is stated that he was discharged on 20/8/00 "wounded in action" - what battle or skirmish would this have been? I thought Bergendal but that only started a day later on 21/8.

My second question relates to the first point - if he was discharged on 20/8/00 how would it be possible for him to earn both date clasps? I can trace no further service for this man.

Any input would be appreciated.

Regards

Rory

Rory
Your man is on my copy of the Bethune's MI roll (came from Liverpool, UK) and he does not show on the Palmer casualty roll. However there is a "Cpl. CONNOR, M.O." of BMI shown in the NFF casualty list as "slightly wounded at Vryhied 20051900". No regimental number shown, unfortunately. Bethune's had a rough time on that day; when a squadron was ambushed.
I have not so far managed a BMI, unfortunately! They did quite well on the RofL. Good luck with getting that one.
Regards
IL.

Hi Rory

The medal roll and nominal is quite clear : he was discharged on 20/8/1900. That was not the date of his wound.
I could not find him on my computerized casualty data : searched for 759 and O'Connor.

IL cleared up the mystery, being listed as Connor without a regimental number. I will amend my records accordingly.

It is possible that he re-enlisted in another unit in 1901 : occasionally the medal office did not pick up previous service for cross-referencing.

Henk

Gentlemen,
The roll is quite clear "Discharged medically unfit, wounded in action" I would say the casualty returns would be correct, and clearly the best thing to do is to look at the original at Kew as well as his papers as mentioned, regarding his clasps, just a look at the rivets may help, if they are all official, then clearly he has served elsewhere, if they are not, more research is required to establish beyond reasonable doubt that he was entitled to them.

Hello all and thanks very much for all the input.

Thanks in the main to a friend in the UK who sent me the attached cutting from the Dundee Courier (the Scottish Dundee that is) it is obvious that O'Connor was wounded on 20 May and discharged medically unfit on 20 August. According to the article, as a wounded soldier, he would have been looked after by the Boers at Vryheid and then, I assume, released sometime thereafter before 20 August.



Apropos his later service - I will probably only get the medal through the post tomorrow and will then be in a position to take photos etc.

Regards

Rory