1914-15 Star (SJT. P. O' CONNOR. 20TH M.R.); British War Medal (SJT. P. O' CONNOR. 4TH S.A.H.); Victory Medal (SJT. P. O' CONNOR. 4TH S.A.H.)
Patrick O' Connor was born in London in 1895 (some reports say Sligo in Ireland). He attested for service with the Cradock Commando (20th Mounted Rifles) for WWI on 8 November 1914 and was part of the force loyal to the Prime Minister, Louis Botha, who was called upon to help the suppress the internal rebellion by former Boer combatants later that year.
He was one of a only a handful of men from the 20th Mounted Rifles taken Prisoner of War in the early stages of the campaign when, at Nous (not far from Kakamas), on 21 December 1914, Maritz and Kemp’s rebel forces, with the support of German troops, defeated a Union Defence Forces column at Nous inside South African territory.
Having been released from captivity when the Germans surrendered in Otavi, German South West Africa on 9 July 1915 he then enlisted for service in German East Africa at Potchefstroom on 9 March 1916. He was demobilised on 11 May 1917 and returned to his farm in Beaufort West in the Karoo.
Medal is in good condition unless indicated otherwise. Sold with some research. See C1003347 for father's medal.
