O'Hara William Pte 4455622
Personnel Entry
Name O'Hara William
Army number 4455622
Rank Private.
Decorations
Date of birth Born County Durham 1906/07.
Age 33 at the time of his death.
Unit Enlisted in The Durham Light Infantry, no enlistment date, but almost certainly very early May 1939. Posted to the ?6th Battalion DLI. Posted to the 10th Battalion DLI - probably 1/9/1939 on embodiment. Served in Northern France with the B.E.F. Posted Missing 11/5 - 20/6/40. Discovered to have DIED of WOUNDS at FICHEUX 20/5/40 with 10th Battalion The Durham Light Infantry.
Company/Battery
Platoon or other sub-unit
Task or role
Joined Brigade Probably 1/9/1939.
Promotions
Wounded Yes - probably 20/5/1940.
Prisoner of War
Died/Killed in action 20-May-40. No known grave as yet. Commemorated Column 123, DUNKIRK MEMORIAL.
Home address Resident of County Durham. Son of Fred James and Mary O'Hara, 22, Catherine Street, Spennymoor. Husband of Annie O'Hara, Spennymoor.
Source table 10DLI
The Auckland Chronicle of 18th July 1940 reported that he had been declared "Missing in action".
Mentioned as being a friend by Mr Tommy Bamforth in a conversation with the Researcher 13/9/2014. An account of William's death was given by one of his comrades to the family on his return from captivity.
William was one of three brothers from Spennymoor who served with the DLI. Brother John also served in 10th DLI and brother Harry remained with 6th Battalion.
The DLI Roll of Honour shows his date of death as 1/5/1940 - which is in error. The War Office casualty list shows only 5/40 without a day. The CWGC date is more likely to be accurate. It is possible, though by no means certain, that William may be one of the unidentified casualties buried at BUCQUOY ROAD CEMETERY, FICHEUX.
