Description
Punjab Medal 1848-49, 2 bars, Private Bernard Lohan, 29th Foot, later 80th and then 88th Connaught Rangers, An Irishman from Ballygar County Galway who served 20 years in India.
Officially impressed: “Bernard Lohan 29th Foot”
Contact wear consistent with his long service having done another 18 years in India following issue of the medal, naming all good and clear.
With copy service papers.
Bernard fought in the Punjab War of 1848-49 earning this medal with the 29th, followed by remaining on in India to take part in the Indian Mutiny also with the 29th Foot, earning the medal without clasp.
Following that he joined the 80th (Staffordshire Volunteers) Regiment of Foot and with them he would take part in the Bhootan Campaign of 1864-5.
However as the clasp to this medal was not authorised until 1870 by which time Bernard had retired to rural Ireland in Cloondoyle Beg, Glenamaddy, the medal was noted as not able to be issued and returned to the mint.
Bernard Lohan was born during 1828 in Killian, Ballygar, County Galway, Ireland (Now Republic of Ireland).
He was the son of John Lohan.
Bernard first signed up for Army Service with the 29th at Warrington, in Lancashire, having likely taken the boat ride over from Ireland to Liverpool in search of work.
He joined up on 3rd March 1847 at the age of 19.
He would go on to see serious fighting in 3 wars spread over 16 years, during his long 20 years and 202 day long career.
Out of 20 years and 202 days, 20 years and 4 months of that was spent on service overseas in the “East Indies”.
Bernard saw service in 3 different regiments throughout his career, spending almost his entire almost 21 year career in India, as such he transferred between various regiments to remain in India, soldiers were usually given the choice of staying on in India once the regiments returned home by joining another inbound or remaining regiment.
2766, 29th Foot. 390, 80th Foot. 1254 88th Foot
On Discharged his character was said to be: “His conduct has been Very Good, he is in possession of a medal fro the Punjab Camapaign with clasps for Chilianwala and Goojerat and the Indian Mutiny Medal, also 4 good conduct badges.”
His name appears 10 times in the Regimental Defaulters Book including 1 Trial by Regimental Court Martial.
He first served in the 29th Foot from 3rd March 1847 to 31st March 1859, fighting in both the Anglo Sikh War and the Indian Mutiny.
He then transferred to H.M. 80th Foot at Allahabad on 24th February 1859.
During this period he fought with the regiment in the Bhootan or Butan War of 1864-5, during the “Duar War”, marking his 3rd war fought.
After some years in the regiment from 1st April 1859 until 9th February 1866 he then:
Volunteered to the 88th (Connaught) Regiment of Foot at Calcutta on 5th February 1866.”
Following 1 year 245 in the Connaughts from 10th February 1866 until 12th October 1867 he was finally discharged.
He had done close to 21 years of service, serving a remarkable 20 years in the East Indies, he was now 40 years old and found unfit for further service.
The surgeon at Netley Hospital on 21st March 1868 noted that his eyesight was failing as he needed glasses : “His weakness and …. of vision is due to unfailing power of life not aggravated by vice or intemperance, he can read with spectacles and can contributed in life to his maintenance.”
Following his discharge he would return back home to Galway, settling in a Clondoyle Beg (Cloondoyle) in Glenamaddy, Galway, Ireland.
Upon his return home he finally got round to marrying, when he married Ellen Gannon on 10th August 1868 in Glenamaddy.
He went on to father 5 children before his death in Glenamaddy on 12th February 1878.
He was not the kindest of souls, perhaps attributed to devoting most of his life to war in India, at one point he was brought up into the county courtroom taking up all afternoon there it seems, where 5 cases in a row were devoted to him, including multiple of his neighbours threatening to assault him and one of them impale him with his pitchfork.
On 27th July 1869 he was brought into the courtroom in County Galway where he took up a lot of time of the local JP.
His wife Ellen Lohan charged him “with having assaulted the complaining on the 13th of January 1869 by knocking her down with a fist, tore her handkerchief and apron off her her person.”
The next case, and the case after where his complaints against Mathias Gamon and John Gamon where Bernard accused the two of:
“Defendant charged with having threatened to stab complainant with a Hayfork at Clondoyle on the 13th Jan 1869.”
And the next case he accuses Mary Gamon of “Charged with having threatened to assault the Complainant at Clondoyle on 13th January 1869.”
The same accusation was levied at Ellen Gamon as well.
He seems to have had a regular feud with the Gamons as he was again brought up in caught a few years later on 14th February 1872 when Lohan was accused of “Assault at Clondoyle on 14th Feb 1872.”