Victorian - Crimea Medal - 50th Regiment of Foot - O'Hara

Crimea Medal with clasp Sebastopol named to: Pte. JAs. O'HARA 50th F.T. (named in Hunt and Roskell style)

James O'Hara was born in 1829 in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland to James O'Hara and Jean Gray. He enlisted in the 63rd Regiment (West Suffolk) at Carlisle, Cumberland on 18 December, 1848 and was assigned regimental number 2503. When he joined he stated that he was 20 years of age, 5' 11", had light brown hair, grey eyes and a fresh complexion and listed his occupation as labourer.

Between 1848 and 1852 his postings included Newcastle, Ashton Under Lyne, Limerick and Dublin. He was imprisoned 24 February - 26 March following a Court Martial at Limerick and served 28 days of hard labour.

In Dublin, in February, 1854, he volunteered to serve with the 50th (Queen's Own) Regiment of Foot along with a large number of members of the 63rd. The 50th was on orders for Malta and the Crimea. With his transfer, O'Hara was assigned 4120 as his new regimental number. The 50th Regiment embarked at Kingstown, Ireland on 24 February, 1854 and proceeded to Malta.

O'Hare was in hospital at Scutari on 5 August 1854 for unspecified reasons, and joined the regiment in the Crimea on 13 November. Whilst in Crimea a cholera epidemic broke out within the regiment which proved fatal to 20 of the 33 admissions. O'Hara returned to hospital mid-December and was likely one of the many who fell ill with cholera.

He was returned to England in July 1855 having served a year and 4 months in Malta and in the Crimea. At some point, the regiment lost track of him as he was incorrectly reported as having died in hospital.

Following 49 days of treatment in Chatham, he was found unfit for further service due to an ulceration in his right tibia.

His Crimean War Medal with clasp Sebastopol was sent to depot on 22 August 1856. It is named in the Hunt and Roskell style. 

O'Hara was discharged 15 July 1856, aged 27 years, 2 month with a total of 7 years service. He died in Newcastle in 1889.

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