Private Edward O'Hara.
6137 6th East Lancashire Regiment.
Killed in Action 9th August 1915, aged 33.
Edward was born 4th April 1883 and baptised 13th April 1883 in St Mary’s Church, Burnley. The son of Dennis O’Hara and Catherine Meehan. In the 1891 census the family lived at 28 Sydney St, Burnley. Denis 29 Throstle Jobber (Runs a Throstle – a type of spinning machine named after the noise it makes. Throstle is an alternative name for a thrush), Catherine 29 weaver, Edward 8.
The family had moved to 20 Robert St, Burnley by the 1901 census, Catherine 38, Edward 18 and boarder Alfred Makin 31.
Edward married in the Sept quarter of 1907 in Burnley.
In the 1911 census Edward (28) cotton spinner, Mary 30 dressmaker, Catherine his mother 49, Thomas 3 months and Winifred 2 were living at 7 Hanover ST, Burnley. We also found out from this census that his parents had had 12 children and only Edward survived.
From The Express and Advertiser dated 28th August 1915: THE DEATH ROLL. THE LAST HANDSHAKE. HOW A BURNLEY SOLDIER DIED.
Private Edward O'Hara of the 6th Battalion East Lancashire Regiment, has been killed in action in the Dardanelles. The news reached his wife who is staying with friends at 6 Vernon Street Burnley, yesterday morning, in a letter sent by private Sawley of the same Battalion and of the same street. Private Sawley describes how he got wounded himself and then says, "teddy O'Hara was lying beside me when he died and I was shaking hands with him when he was taking his last breath. He got shot through the chest."
Private O'Hara who was 33 years of age was a native of Burnley, but of late years he had worked as a mule spinner at Messrs' Haslam's Mill at Colne, and lived at Greenfield. He enlisted on August 15th of last year and shortly afterwards his wife came to Vernon Street. His wife is left with a little boy and girl.
From The Express and Advertiser dated 28th August 1915: ROLL OF HONOUR.
O’HARA. Killed in action at the Dardanelles. Private Edward O'Hara of the 8th Battalion East Lancashire Regiment, of Burnley and Colne, aged 33. From his wife and children.
From The Burnley News dated 28th August 1915: BURNLEY SOLDIERS KILLED. COMRADE SENDS THE SAD NEWS.
News was yesterday conveyed by letter from Private Herbert Sawley in the Dardanelles, of the deaths of two Burnley soldiers in the Dardanelles, viz, Private George Smith of 4 Sydney Street and private Edward O'Hara of Vernon Street. Both men who resided near to each other in Burnley, and enlisted on August 15th last in the 6th East Lancashire, and though not in the same company have been in Billets together and sailed for the Dardanelles at the same time. From the letter which has been received from private solely, who was also a friend, it would appear that they met their death about the same time. Smith was formerly a weaver at Messrs' Tunstills Brierfield, and leaves a widow and two children. O'Hara was also married. No official notification of the death of either soldier has yet been received.
Lived at 6 Vernon Street.
Edward left his effects to his widow Mary.
Edward is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli:Panel 114 to 118.