DEATH OF CRIMEAN VETERAN.
JAMES CONNOR.
James Connor, an old Army veteran, died at Victoria Home at Oamaru on Monday, reports the Mail, at the advanced age of 80 years. On February 17, 1853, the late Mr Connor joined the 17th, now known as the Lancashire Regiment, at Dublin, and went with it to Gibraltar in the autumn of that year, arriving in the Crimea in January, 1855. His regiment took part in the final assault upon Sevastopol, after the fall of which it was transferred to another part of the Crimea. The hardships that the troops underwent in that history-making winter were wont to be vividly recalled by the late Mr Connor, who proudly wore the Crimean medal and Sevastopol clasp, also the Turkish medal. For two years during the Indian Mutiny, the 17th did duty in Cyprus, then returned to England where they were stationed, with several changes of locality, until 1866. In that year, with several other men from the 17th and indeed from various regiments, the late Mr Connor volunteered for service in Canada, where at that time things were in an unsettled state. Their duties consisted in preventing smuggling between the United States and Canada.
On July 11, 1871, after 18 years and five months' service, the late Mr Connor took his discharge, thence forward drawing a pension of 10 l/2d per day until his death. For several years he worked upon the American railways, a form of employment which he continued to follow upon coming to New Zealand in January, 1880. For 30 years he was a resident of Oamaru, and until the accident which befell him 18 months ago, and old age, forced him to give up work, continued his employment. Since that time he had been an inmate of Victoria Home. -Waimate Daily Advertiser, 14/5/1913.
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