Private. 7th Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment. Regimental no. 4753400
Early life:
John Thomas was born on 29th April 1914 at 1, Kensington Street in Keighley and his parents were John Patrick O’Hara and Catharine O’Hara née Goulden who had been married in 1904. He had three brothers, Joseph aged , Francis, Edwin and James who at the time of his birth would have been aged nine, six and four respectively. John was educated at St. Anne’s Roman Catholic School in Keighley.
In the 1921 census they were living at 1, Kensington Street in Keighley. Father John was aged 45 and a coal dealer on his own account; Catherine was aged 43 and looking after the family home; Joseph was sixteen and working as a jobber for J.E. Haggas & Co, worsted spinners of Ingrow; Francis was thirteen and not working or at school; Edwin aged eleven, James aged nine and John aged seven were all at school ‘whole time.’ Also living with them was Catherine’s widowed mother Ann Goulden, aged 80.
In the 1939 Register John Thomas was aged 25 and living at 7, Clarendon Street in Keighley. He was employed as a conductor for a public service, which was the West Yorkshire Road Car Company.
Alice Elizabeth Hodgson was living with her parents John and Mary at 42, Bogthorn before she married John O’Hara, the 1939 Register tells us she was born in 1920 and was employed as a pyjama machinist.
John married Alice in the second quarter of 1940, registered at Keighley in the second quarter of the year and they were living at 42, Bogthorn in Oakworth when he went off to war.
War service:
Note:
According to the Keighley News obituary John had been abroad for three and a half years before his death in April 1945. This would put his disembarkation around October 1941. If we guess at about four months prior training (and it is a guess) this gives us an approximate enlistment date of June 1941, when he would have been aged about 27. These are just estimates based on the information we have. There will be an Army service record for him but it would not be available to anyone unless they’re related to John.
He was serving with the 7th Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment when he was killed in action on 12th April 1945. He was 31. John Thomas was buried at Taukkyan Cemetery in Myanamar.
His wife Alice was a Leading Aircraftwoman in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force during the war and prior to this she had been a part time Air Raid Warden.
Keighley News 5th May 1945:
News has been received by Mrs Alice O’Hara, of 42, Bogthorn, Oakworth,
that her husband, Private John Thomas O’Hara, has been killed in action.
Aged 31, Private O’Hara was a native of Keighley and received his education at
St Anne’s Roman Catholic School.
Prior to joining up five years ago he was a conductor for the West Yorkshire Road Car Co., Ltd.
The news of his death is especially tragic, as he was due for a home leave in July.
He had been abroad for three and a half years. His widow is a Leading Aircraftwoman in the W.A.A.F.
Remembrance:
John is of course named on his grave stone ay Taukkyan Cemetery in Myanamar.
Locally, John is named on the Oakworth WW2 Memorial garden in Holden Park and on the WW2 memorial panel in Keighley Library.
Post war:
John’s father John Patrick died aged 84 in the last quarter of 1960 and his mother Catherine died aged 82, also in the last quarter of 1960.
Information sources:
England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-191
1911 England Census.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915.
1921 Census Of England & Wales.
1939 England and Wales Register.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Keighley News archives at Keighley Library.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007.
