Peter John Connor

Peter John O'Connor (he used the "O" although registered at birth as Connor) was born on December 11, 1882. His birth was registered on January 22, 1893, and the birth notices index shows this, wrongly, as his birth date.

PJ was variously a cattle dealer, auctioneer, bloodstock and lifestock merchant, and joined the 8th Royal Dublin Fusiliers in Cork on April 15, 1915. He was promoted to Corporal on May 14 and to Sergeant on July 13. The "Dubs" were sent to the Somme and early in 1916 he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and on April 27, 1916 took part on an action which resulted in his being awarded the Military Cross on June 24, 1916. He was invalided out in August, having lost a leg.

PJ died from pneumonia on April 23, 1923. His widow, Maria, claimed that his death was caused in part by his war injuries and after a long fight was awarded an officer's widow's pension. Her war widow's status enabled her to ensure that her two younger children were educated privately.

Going by PJ's handwriting he was an educated man but it is not known where he went to school.

PJ's son, (also Peter John) once said that PJ was involved with the Asgard gun running at Howth in 1914 but there is no proof of this.