Ref ID: 51636039071
Name
William O'Hara.
Description
William O'Hara.
Life Story
Name: William O'Hara
Service Number: 5818.
Rank: Rifleman.
Battalion: 2nd Battalion.
Regiment: Royal Irish Rifles.
Born: Belfast.
Died: 7th May 1915.
Address: 12 Lower California Street, Belfast
.
William O'Hara, son of James and Mary Ann O'Hara, lived at 12 Lower California Street, Belfast
.
The 1901 Ireland Census has William living at 29.1 Abbey Street, Belfast with his mother, father, occupation, Dock Labourer, two brothers, Samuel, 16 years, Millworker Machine Boy, Edward, 3 years, and two sisters, Lizzie, 11 years, and Maggie, 5 years. Aged 14 years, Williams occupation at this time is given as Millworker Machine Boy
.
William joined the Royal Irish Rifles.
He was posted as part of the British Expeditionary Force to France on the 9th November 1914.
William was a Rifleman in 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Rifles when he was Killed In Action on the 7th May 1915
.
A local newspaper states
.
Mrs O'Hara No 12 Lower California Street, Belfast, has been notified by the War Office that her son, Rifleman William O'Hara, 2nd Batt, Royal Irish Rifles, was killed in action at Hill 60 on the 7th inst. Deceased has a brother, Sergeant O'Hara, 4th Batt, R.I. Rifles, serving with the colours
.
Another paper states
.
RANK AND FILE CASUALTIES.
NUMEROUS CASUALTIES.
BELFAST MEN KILLED.
News is at hand that Rifleman William O'Hara 2nd Batt Royal Irish Rifles was killed in action at Hill 60, on 7th inst. Prior to being called up on the reserve, deceased was employed at the Belfast docks. His mother resides at 12 Lower California Street, Belfast
.
Williams Pension Application Form shows his mother as claimant.
Dependant Pension Application Forms show both his mother and father as claimants for himself and his brother Samuel O'Hara
.
See brother also: 5353 Sergeant Samuel O'Hara 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Rifles
.
William received the British War Medal, Victory Medal and 1914 Star.
.
He is Remembered at Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.
To Remember Is To Honour
.
Theme
Shankill Roll of Honour
Date
1915
Classification
Newspaper, , Photograph - Belfast Telegraph, Ballymena Weekly Telegraph, Larne Times.
