Military Record for Donat E McMahon, Spancilhill

Donat Edmond McMahon was born in 1826 in Spancilhill.
He joined the British Army and was stationed at Curragh Camp with the Military Train Land Transport Corps.
On the 2/2/1856 his rank was Cornet, he was then promoted to Ensign on 3/3/1863.
Donat became a Captain on 30/6/1868 then retired a Colonel on 1/10/1881.
In 1881 Donat was Staff Officer of Pensioners.
He died in Bedford 1894 aged 68.

One of Donat's achievements was to patent an improvement in saddles in 1868:

PARLIMENTARY PAPERS
NO 860
THE QUARTER- MASTER GENERAL TO THE UNDERSECTARY OF STATE FOR INDIA.
HORSE GUARDS 25TH OCTOBER 1867.

SIR ,
I AM DIRECTED BY THE FIELD MARSHALL COMMANDING-IN CHIEF TO TRANSMITT THE ENCLOSED COMMUNICATION FROM LEIU MCMAHON, MILITARY TRAIN AND TO REQUEST THAT SADDLES OF THE PATTEN PROPOSED BY THIS OFFICER, BEING MADE AT THE GOVERNMENTS EXPENCE, UNDER THE SUPERINTENDANCE OF LEIU MCMAHON, FOR TRIAL WITH THE ABYSSINIAN EXPEDITION, AS HIS ROYAL HIGHESS IS VERY ANXIOUS THAT THIS SADDLE, WITH WHICH THIS OFFICER HAS TAKEN VERY GREAT TROUBLE, SHOULD BE FAIRLY TRIED AND REPORTED ON.
I HAVE &CO
J. HOPE. GRANT
QUARTER-MASTER GENERAL

ENCLOSURE IN NO 860LEUITENANT MCMAHON TO QUARTER MASTER GENERAL
3 ST. GERMAINS PLACE BLACKHEATH
21ST OCT 1967

I HAVE THE HONOUR TO SOLICIT THAT YOU MAY BE PLEASED TO SUBMIT AND RECOMMEND TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS, THE FIELD MARSHALL COMMANDING IN CHIEF, THIS IS MY RESPECTFULL REQUEST THAT I MAY BE AUTHORISED TO MAKE SIX OR TEN PACK SADDLES OF MY INVENTION, ON THE EXPANSION PRINCIPLE FOR SERVICE TEST IN ABYSSINIA. THE SEVERE BUT IMPARTIAL TRIAL MY SADDLES WERE SUBJECTED TO RECENTLY, UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF COLONAL DE' AGUILAR R.H.A. PROVES THAT THEY WILL FIT ANY SIZED ANIMAL USED FOR TRANSPORT SERVICES WITHOUT GALLING IT.

I COULD HAVE MADE IN QUANTY AT 50s EACH, BUT GUARANTEE THAT A SMALL NUMBER WILL BE IN READINESS WITHIN 3 WEEKS OF THE DATE OF THE ORDER AT A COST OF 3 L EACH. I SHALL ALSO GUARANTEE ANY DRIVER NATIVE OR FORGEIN WILL BE ABLE TO ADJUST THEM SATISFACTORLY IN A FEW MINUTES.
AS MY INVENTION HAS COST ME MUCH IN ANXIETY, TIME AND MONEY SOLEY FOR THE GOOD OF THE SERVICE, I HUMBLY HOPE THE HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS, FIELD MARSHALL COMMANDING IN CHIEF, WILL BE GRACIOUSLY PLEASED TO GRANT MY REQUEST, WHICH I KNOW WILL BE A SUCCESS.
I HAVE, &CO
DONAT MCMAHON
LEIUTENANT MILITARY TRAIN

467
NO 889
THE MILITARY SECETARY INDIA OFFICE,
TO THE MILITARY SECETARY, HORSE GUARDS OCTOBER 28TH 1867.
I AM DIRECTED BY THE SECETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA IN COUNCIL, TO ACCKNOWLED THE RECEIPT OF YOUR LETTER OF THE 25TH INSTANT, AND TO AQUAINT YOU IN REPLY THAT, HE APPROVES NO 86 OF THE PROPERSITION. TO CONSTRUCT 5 PACK SADDLES AT THE GOVERNMENT EXPENCE, ON THE PLAN PROPOSED BY LEIUTENANT D. MCMAHON OF THE MILITARY TRAIN. IN ORDER THAT HIS SYSTEM MAY BE TESTED IN THE ABYSSINIAN EXPEDITION.

I HAVE, &CO,
T. T. PEARS
MAJOR GENERAL
MILITARY SECETARY.

Addendum donated by Peter Duckers:

Military Record for Donat E McMahon, Spancilhill

DEM served in the Crimean War in the Commissariat Dept and Land Transport Corps – he was present “in all the major actions and the siege of Sebastopol” and received the British war medal with three clasps (Alma, Inkermann and Sebastopol) and the Turkish War Medal.
He was posted as an officer to the 4th Company, Military Train, and served with them in China in 1860 – capture of the Taku Forts and occupation of Pekin (Medal with two clasps.)

MARRIAGE.from “ Limerick Chronicle” of 14 August 1866

At the Roman Catholic Church, Croom’s-hill, Greenwich, and afterwards at All Saints’ Church, Blackheath, Donat Edmund McMahon, Esq., Military Train, son of the late Edmund McMahon, Esq., Clare, Ireland, to Isabella, daughter of Robert McLean, Esq., Blackheath.

Additional information courtesy of Bob Hindley, UK

http://deardaisy.uk/

https://deardaisy.uk/photos.html