O'HARA Reginald

Family

Reginald O€™Hara was one of four children born in Queensland to Patrick James and Emily Maud (nee Williams) O'€™Hara. His siblings were Dorothy Mabel, Denis and Mary Emily. Reginald was born in Ayr on 28 June 1895.

Patrick O€™'Hara died on 23 April 1897. His daughter Mary Emily died also in December that year, aged only six months. Patrick€™'s widow remarried to Charles James Giffard, a storekeeper, on 14th March 1899. Charles had been granted a divorce from his first wife in 1895. They had had three children. Emily was to deliver her first family four half-siblings -“ Colin, Winifred, Phyllis and Emily Giffard. She remained a resident of Ayr at least until Charles€™ death in 1947.

Military Context

The 2nd Light Horse Regiment was raised at Enoggera on 18 August 1914. Its recruits came mainly from Queensland but some hailed from the northern rivers district of NSW. The 2nd was one of three regiments of the 1st Australian Light Horse Brigade. The regiment sailed from Brisbane on 25 September and disembarked in Egypt on 9 December.

The 2nd Light Horse deployed to Gallipoli without horses and landed there on 12 May 1915. The 2nd was withdrawn from the Peninsula on 18 December.

After being withdrawn to Egypt, the 2nd Light Horse served in the Anzac Mounted Division. From January to May 1916, the regiment was deployed to protect the Nile valley from bands of pro-Turkish Senussi Arabs. Later in 1916, it defended the Suez Canal and played a significant role in the battle of Romani on 4 August. After a period of rest, the 2nd joined the Allied advance across Sinai in November and subsequently in fighting to secure the outposts on the Palestine frontier at Maghdaba and Rafa.

The 2nd€˜'s next major engagement was in the abortive second battle of Gaza on 19 April 1917. When Gaza finally fell on 7 November after the famed outflanking movement via Beersheba, the 2nd Light Horse participated in the advance to Jaffa, and then to clear and occupy the west bank of the Jordan River. It was involved in the Amman (24-27 February) and Es Salt (30 April to 4 May) raids and the repulse of a major German-Turkish attack on 14 July 1918.

Turkey surrendered on 30 October 1918, and the 2nd sailed for Australia on 13 March 1919. In a sad consequence of peace, horses of the Light Horse were either shot or transferred to Indian cavalry units.

Enlistment

Reginald O€™'Hara completed his Attestation papers at Townsville on 24 August 1914. He had previously served for two years in the Cadets. He declared his age as 19 years 2 months and occupation as €œcarpenter€. He was 5 feet 7¼ inches in height, weighed 129 pounds, of tanned complexion, with green eyes and brown hair (five months later, he had grown to 5 feet 10 inches and weighed 150 pounds). His religion was Presbyterian and he listed his mother Mrs E.M. Giffard of Ayr, Queensland as his next of kin.

Reginald O€™'Hara was assigned to €œC€ Squadron of the 2nd Light Horse Regiment. His Service Number was 558.

Military service

Private O'€™Hara embarked at Brisbane on HMAT A15 €œ"Star of England"€ (soon to be renamed "Port Sydney") on 24 September 1914. After staging for training in Egypt, he joined his regiment at Gallipoli on 15 May 1915. It mainly played a defensive role for most of the campaign but did attack the Turkish trenches opposite Quinn'€™s Post, one of the most contested positions along the ANZAC line. Private O'€™Hara was withdrawn to Mudros on the Greek island of Lemnos on 14 November. He was transported on HMAT €œ"Caledonia"€ to Alexandria in Egypt, arriving there on 26 December.

Reginald O€™'Hara€™'s potential as a very capable line officer helped provide insight into the specifics of his war service. In an appraisal of his potential in February 1919 when he was a Troop Leader, his involvement in battles during the war were listed. They were €œGallipoli, Romani, Bir el Abd, Mazar, Maghdaba, Rafa, El Arish, 2nd Gaza, 1st and 2nd Es Salt€.

He never suffered the misfortune of being wounded in the field and, in contrast to many of his contemporaries, was only once required to visit hospital. His file is completely without blemish of disciplinary advice. When opportunities arose to replace his superior NCOs, he was often chosen, so his service record is characterised by regular temporary promotions and detachments for training, for example,the NCO and Cadet Officer Courses at the 24th Imperial School of Instruction at Zeitoun.

On 15 December 1918, O`Hara was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant.

On 10 February 1919, Lieutenant Colonel Bourne`s assessment was "This officer was only commissioned in December 1918. He promises well. As an NCO, he was a very good man in the field and handled his troops well in the absence of the Troop Leader. He is an excellent instructor. Professional knowledge fair. Discipline, Leadership and Capacity for Training good. Not suitable for staff work. Requires more experience before he will be ready for promotion. He is energetic, conscientious and capable. Qualified at Cadet School, NCO€™'s General Course, and Musketry (Distinguished)€.

On 14 March 1919, Lieutenant OHara embarked at Kantara on HMAT A14 "€œEuripides"€ for return to Australia. His mother was advised of his impending return on 1 April. The vessel arrived at Melbourne on 20 April 1919 and he disembarked at Brisbane. His officers commission was terminated on 30 June 1919.

After the War

Reginald O'€™Hara was issued the 1914-15 Star, the British War medal and the Victory medal.

In the Electoral Roll of 1919, Reginald O€™Hara was a settler at the Beerburrum Soldier Settlement.

On 15 July 1920, he married Jessie Elena Bain, a seamstress, from Ayr.

In the Electoral Rolls from 1930 to 1943, the couple were recorded at Princes Road, Hyde Park, Townsville. Reginald was a €œbuilding contractor€.

In 1949, the couple were still at Princes Road, but living with them were two of their children Raymond Hunter O€™'Hara, carpenter, and Margery Esme O€™'Hara, clerk.

In the Roll of 1954, the same four people were together at €œOliver Lodge€, Pixley St., Kangaroo Point. Reginald was a €œcarpenter€.

In the Rolls of 1958 and 1963, Reginald and Jessie were living at 7 Kianawah Road, Lindum.

On 10 April 1967, from 8 Norbiton St., Geebung, Reginald wrote to Base Records in Melbourne applying for the Anzac Medallion and Badge. It featured Simpson and his donkey evacuating the wounded. The medallion was announced by Prime Minister Holt in March and was to be awarded to surviving veterans who had served on the Gallipoli Peninsular.

In 1968, Reginald and his wife were living at 8 Norbiton St., Geebung. Reginald recorded no occupation. Raymond O`Hara, their son, was also living at Geebung with his wife Betty Valerie O€™'Hara.

Reginald O€™Hara, ex-A.I.F., died in 1969 and was buried at Pinnaroo cemetery on 4 June.

• Gallipoli
• Gaza
• Palestine
• Sinai

National Australia Archives Australian War Memorial Trove digitalised newspapers Ancestry.com