Description
Egypt Medal, reverse dated 1882, 3 bars, Tel-el-Kebir, Suakin 1884, El-Teb-Tamaai, 1142 Pte J. O’Donnell, 1st Gordon Highlanders, from Bunnanadden County Sligo, Roscommon Militia.
Officially engraved: “1142 Pte J. O’Donnell 1/Gord: Highrs”
Confirmed on the medal roll.
Good condition, relatively little star pitting as awarded at end of career, slight bend to suspension through wear.
John O’Donnell was and Irishman born in the small village of Bunnanadden in Ballymate, County Sligo, Ireland circa 1845.
Aged 18, he signed on for full time service with the 75th Stirlingshire Regiment on 17th August 1863, being released from the local Roscommon Militia who he had served with from 10th May 1861 until that day.
He saw a full 21 year career with the following postings:
Home, 18th August 1863 – 19th April 1867
Gibraltar 20th April 1867 – 6th October 1868
China, 7th October 1868 – 18th February 1869
Singapore, 19th February 1869 – 10th March 1871
China, 11th March 1871 = 21st August 1871.
South Africa, 22nd August 1871 – 10th April 1875
Home, 11th April 1875 – 10th March 1881, Transferred to Gordon Highrs about this time.
Malta, 11th March 1881 – 6th August 1882
Egypt, 7th August 1882 – 3rd September 1884
Home, 4th Sept 1884 – 14th Feb 1885.
His papers note campaigns served as “Egyptian” and Medal entitlement at the time as “Egypt Medal and Clasp for Tel-el-Kebir, and Bronze Star, Entitled to clasp Suakin 84 and El Teb Tamai”.
On discharge his overall conduct was described simply as “Latterly Good”, having obtained a laundry list full of charges earlier on in his career.
He spent his whole career as a Private, apart from one good year as a Lance Corporal from 1st August 1878 until 13th July 1879, when he reverted to Private.
