In memoriam
Rifleman Robert O'Hara
Robert O'Hara was born in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, Scotland, in 1896 or 1897, son of Irish-born hairdresser Edward O'Hara and his wife Sophia.
He enlisted in the North Irish Horse at Antrim on 3 April 1916 (No.2140).
In November 1916 O'Hara, together with around 100 other North Irish Horsemen, volunteered to transfer to the Royal Irish Rifles (No.40908). They embarked for France on 7 December, where they joined the 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, on the Somme front.
At the beginning of March the battalion took part in a short but fierce attack in the sector in front of Bouchavesnes, captured by the French the previous September and only recently handed over to the BEF. The attack was a complete success. Within 40 minutes the objectives – Pallas Trench and Fritz Trench behind it – were seized. The consolidation took longer, with artillery bombardment and counter-attacks from an enemy not keen to be pushed out. The 1st Battalion Royal Irish Rifles, initially held in reserve, received orders to come up in relief at 6.00 pm. This from the Battalion’s war diary:
[4 March] Orders were received for the Battalion to march up and relieve 2 Lincolnshire Regiment and supporting companies of the 2 Rifle Brigade, the 2 R Berkshires still maintaining their position in the captured trenches. The Battalion therefore took up a position in the old British front line and support. The shelling during the night was severe. During the afternoon the enemy counter attacked and gained a footing in a part of the trench, 3 OR belonging to our Lewis Gunners but to 2 R Berks were killed.
At midday on 5 March the Battalion was ordered to relieve the 2nd Royal Berkshires in the front line. This they accomplished that night.
The shelling was again heavy. 1 OR was killed 3 OR wounded. D Coy held the new front line, C Coy were in Pallas Trench, A Coy in a new trench leading from Pallas to old British front line, B Coy in old British line.
[6 March] Shelling still severe but consolidation continued.
[7 March] 5 OR killed 19 OR wounded.
[8 March] 11pm. Battalion relieved in the front line by 2 Rifle Brigade, move to a base in Bouchavesne and Lock Barracks.
Twenty-seven men of the 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles were killed between 4 and 8 March. O'Hara was one of the many wounded. He was evacuated to England but died of his wounds in the Salford Military Hospital, Manchester, on 1 April 1917.
He was buried in the Hamilton (Bent) Cemetery, Lanarkshire, Scotland, grave New 754. The gravestone inscription reads:
Erected by
EDWARD & SOPHIA O'HARA
IN LOVING MEMORY OF THEIR SON
ROBERT
1ST ROYAL IRISH RIFLES
DIED IN SALFORD MILITARY HOSPITAL MANCHESTER
FROM WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION ON SOMME FRANCE
1ST APRIL 1917 AGED 20 YEARS
ALSO THE ABOVE
EDWARD O'HARA
DIED 3RD OCT. 1945 AGED 74 YEARS
ALSO THE ABOVE SOPHIA O'HARA
DIED 22ND SEPT. 1953 AGED 82 YEARS
Image kindly provided by Steve Rogers, Project Co-ordinator of the The War Graves Photographic Project, www.twgpp.org.