| O'Meara | T | 1660 | Private | Frontier Wars. SAGS (1) 1877-8-9 | Connaught Rangers |
| O'Meara | Thomas P | | | Member of the late Legislative Assembly, Natal
378 of 580 awards | Unknown |
| O'Meara | W A J | | Local Major | MID LG: 8 May 1900, page: 2917. Source: Lieutenant Colonel Kekewich's report. 15 February 1900. Re: Kimberley
This page contains all the London Gazette pages for the Boer War | Royal Engineers |
| O'Meara | W A J | | Major | Walter Alfred John O'Meara was born in Calcutta on 28 January 1863. He entered the Royal Military Academy Woolwich in 1880 and passed out in 1883. In March 1885 he joined the 5th Bengal Sappers and Miners and went with them to the war in Burma. His duty was clearing the lines of communication and his work was constantly hampered by parties of dacoits. On 2 January 1886 he chased off a band of dacoits but, pausing to reload his revolver, a group of them turned and ran back at him. He received fifteen cuts with their dahs. His hand was chopped off and jaw was broken. His native second in command dispersed the group thereby saving his life. After leaving hospital he was stationed in Portsmouth and helped in the construction of defences at Southsea. In 1890 he surveyed and supervised the building of the first telephone trench line in Kent. In 1894 he was posted to South Africa where, with Major Plumer, he investigated the Jameson Raid. In 1896 he entered the Staff College and, when he passed out, he went back to South Africa as one of ten special service officers. He cycled all over the Western Free State to gather intelligence. He was in Kimberley when war broke out. He became Kekewich's Intelligence Officer and Censor. He organised the system of native spies and runners. As part of his duties as censor, he clashed violently with both Rhodes and the Diamond Fields Advertiser about what could be published. He was mentioned in Despatches by Kekewich. After the siege, O'Meara joined the Staff of the Director of Military Intelligence and was present at Paardeberg for the final part of this battle. He was then attached to the Staff of the Cavalry Division and was present at the actions of Poplar Grove, Driefontein and Bloemfontein. He then joined the staff of the Military Governor of Bloemfontein, Major General Pretyman. Later, O'Meara became Chairman of the Johannesburg Town Council and worked to create the municipal laws. He was appointed to be the first mayor of Johannesburg on 21 Jun 1900. At the conclusion of the Boer War, O'Meara was again mentioned in despatched and given the CMG. On 28 April 1902, O'Meara became Engineer in Chief of the Johannesburg Post Office Telegraph Department where he stayed for ten years. On his return to England, he became a Barrister at Law. Despite being 52 when the Great War broke out, he re-joined as a Major and was given command of the 3rd Billetting Company in Chatham. In 1917 he was promoted brevet Lieutenant Colonel but this year also witnessed the death in the trenches in France of his only son who held a commission in the East Lancashire Regiment. After the War, O'Meara became Vice President of the Royal Engineers Widows Association and the Royal Engineers Charitable Institution. Between 1924 and 1926 he was Chairman of the Board of Studies in Electrical Engineering at the University of London. He died on 6 November 1939.
CMG (b/b), IGS 1854 (1) Burma 1885-7 (Lieut. Rl. Sappers and Miners), QSA (5) DofK Paar Drie Tr SA01 (Major C.M.G., R.E.), 1902 Coronation, Kimberley Star. Spink Dec 83.
Source: List of CMG recipients. Various sources | Royal Engineers |
| O'Meara | Walter Alfred John | | Major | CSO Kimberley 14 Oct 99-24 Feb 1900. Then to Staff of Cavalry Div to 13 Mar 1900. Then Assistant to Military Governor Johannesburg from 19 Jun 1900 to 12 May 1901. Appointed CMG.
QSA (5) DoK Paard Drief Tr SA01
TNA ref 161/8
Medals extant | Royal Engineers |
| O'Meira | D A | | | E Division
Source: QSA and KSA medal rolls | South African Constabulary |
| O'Melia | J | | | 2nd Battalion
Source: QSA and KSA medal rolls | Royal Irish Rifles |
| O'Melly | C | | | Source: QSA and KSA medal rolls | 66th Battery, RFA |
| O'Molloy | A I | | | District 1
Source: QSA and KSA rolls | Cape Police |
| O'Molloy | A J | | | Late District Mounted Rifles
Source: QSA and KSA medal rolls | Frontier Light Horse |
| O'Molloy | A J | | | District 1
Source: QSA and KSA rolls | Cape Police |
| O'Molloy | A J | | | Late District Mounted Rifles
Source: QSA and KSA medal rolls | Frontier Light Horse |
| O'Molloy | Alexander | 1327 | | Attested: Sep 1897. Source: CMP 42 | Cape Police |
| O'Molloy | Arthur | 887 | Sergeant Major | District Mounted Rifles
Source: Nominal roll in WO127 | District Mounted Rifles |
| O'Molony | C K | | Mr | Town Clerk of Kimberley. MID LG: 8 May 1900, page: 2919. Source: Lieutenant Colonel Kekewich's report. 15 February 1900. Re: Kimberley
This page contains all the London Gazette pages for the Boer War | Unknown |
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