Description
Afghanistan 1877-8-9 – 1/18th Royal Irish Regiment.
Afghanistan Medal 1878-80 no clasp, 2197 Pte C. O’Donnell 1/18th Regt
Charles O’Donnell was a 19 year old illiterate labourer from Kilmore, Dungannon, Co. Tyrone when he was enlisted at Lisburn at 4pm on 22 March 1871 by John Finley, a pensioner on the Recruiting Staff. O’Donnell was enlisted for no bounty but for a free kit. When medically examined the same day at Lisburn he was described as 5’ 5” tall, 34” chest, blue eyes, fair hair and fresh complexion. His next of kin was given as his mother Sarah O’Donnell of Belfast. He attested for the 18th (Royal Irish) Regiment before the Justices at Lisburn at 11.40 am on 24 March 1871. He was medically examined again on 27 March 1871 at Dublin.
O’Donnell was posted to the 2nd Bn 18th Foot, joining at Devonport on 24 March 1871. Almost immediately on joining the Battalion he was hospitalised with ‘an itch’, which turned out to be gonorrhoea [O’Donnell did not learn his lesson; he was later to suffer from Syphilis while at Ferozepore (1878) and at Rawal Pindi (1883)].
Shortly after joining the Army, it was discovered that O’Donnell had not accurately declared his previous military service on enlistment. His record of service notes, ‘Found to belong to the Antrim Militia for which he was attested on 27 January 1871. Service in the Lines will not reckon towards G[ood] C[onduct] pay or pension till 27 January 1876.’
O’Donnell left the 2nd Battalion at Devonport on 1 June 1872 and transferred to the 1st Battalion 18th Foot at Malta. He served in Malta until 19 October 1974 when the Battalion embarked for India; it landed at Bombay on 14 November 1874. On 25 November 1874 it arrived at its new station at Bareilly, Bengal. It remained at Bareilly for 3 years. O’Donnell was awarded Good Conduct Pay @ 2d per day on 24 August 1877. On 13 February 1878 the Battalion went to Loodianah by train and marched on to Ferozepore arriving there on 24 February. It remained at Ferozepore for almost 2 years until January 1880 during which month it spent 3 weeks on the march to Peshawar. In April 1881 it marched to Lundi Kotal and it spent the next year on active service in Afghanistan (May 1880 to March 1881).
The Battalion was then at Kuldanah (April to November 1881) and Rawal Pindi from November 1881 to May 1883. O’Donnell re-engaged on 6 October 1882 to complete 21 years with the Colours. In December 1883 the Battalion moved to Meerut. In August 1884 it sailed for active service in Egypt. It was on active service in Egypt for a year (September 1884 to August 1885) after which it sailed for England. Home service followed at Plymouth (September to December 1885) and Devonport from January 1886. O’Donnell was awarded Good Conduct Pay @ 3d per day 24 March 1887.
O’Donnell was posted to the Depot Royal Irish Regiment at Clonmel on 14 August 1887, remaining there for 2 years till he took his discharge. He was discharged at Clonmel on 7 July 1889, at his own request after 18 years 106 days service, with a view to pension. His conduct was noted as ‘Very Good’.
Condition – Fine, Contact marked and polished.
