57th Battalion, Australian Infantry (Australian Army)
Died:
27/09/1917 (Killed in Action)
Age:
28
Summary
James Daly was the son of Mr. M. and Ellen Daly (nee Casey), of Drumay, Derryfubble, Moy, Co. Tyrone.
He was born about 1890. He emigrated to Australia at the age of 21, around 1911, where he worked as a labourer. James Daly had been working in Australia as a labourer for three years before enlisting on 9th December 1914. Private James Daly was living in Melbourne, Victoria where he enlisted under the alias of 1562 Private Jack Hart. After a short spell at Gallipoli, he arrived in France for service on the Western Front in June 1916. According to his Red Cross Wounded and Missing file, Private James Daly was one of three men killed by German artillery which landed in the shell hole he was taking cover in after the attack on Polygon Wood on the 27 September 1917.
Further Information
James Daly was the son of Michael and Ellen Daly (nee Casey), of Drumay, Derryfubble, Moy, Co. Tyrone. He was born in February, 1888.
He emigrated to Australia at the age of 21, around 1911, where he worked as a labourer.
James emigrated to Australia and it had been intended that on arrival he would go to his sister, already in that country, who was married to a German. He never met up with his sister. His cousin, J. Shields of 'Moy', Western Road, Sydney, in a letter to the Australian Army Office in 1919 stated that James had enlisted in the 4th Light Horse but deserted.
An Irish migrant from County Tyrone, Ireland, James Daly had been working in Melbourne, Victoria as a labourer for three years before enlisting on 9th December 1914 under the alias of 1562 Private Jack Hart.
He indicated on the enlistment/attestation paper that his father was James Hart of Dungannon and that he had never previously served in any of His Majesty's Armed Forces.
Private James Daly left Australia for Egypt with the 3rd Reinforcements in February 1915. He arrived on Gallipoli on 30 April 1915.
Private Daly was evacuated from the peninsula to Alexandria with dysentery, and remained in Egypt where he transferred to the 59th Battalion as part of the 'doubling-up' of the AIF ion 24th February 1916.
In April 1916 he was transferred again to the 57th Battalion.
Twice in early 1916 Private Daly was before his commanding officer on disciplinary charges (1) for failing to rise at Reveille and (2) refusing to obey the order of an N.C.O. On the first occasion he received two days' detention and seven days' detention for the second offence. He arrived in France for service on the Western Front in June 1916, where he became a 'bomber' attached to the Battalion H.Q.
He arrived in France for service on the Western Front in June 1916, where he became a bomber attached to the Headquarters of the 57th Battalion.
According to his Red Cross Wounded and Missing file, Private James Daly was one of three men killed by German artillery which landed in the shell hole he was taking cover in after the attack on Polygon Wood on the 27 September 1917.
Despite attempts by the Red Cross to determine where Private Daly was buried, the location of his grave remains unknown. Private Daly was aged 27 at the time of his death.
From the Belfast Newsletter dated 14th May 1918:
Private James Daly, Australian Imperial Force, killed in action, was the eldest son of Mr Michael Daly, Drumay, Benburb, Moy.
From the Tyrone Courier and Dungannon News dated Thursday 16 May 1918:
Mr Michael Daly, Drumay, near Moy, has received intimation that his eldest son, Private James Daly, Australian Imperial Force, has been killed in action.
Private James Daly is commemorated on panel 29 on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres
Some reports suggest Private James Daly's name is on the Moy War Memorial as 'J. Hart'. This is NOT CORRECT.
Private Daly is commemorated on Dungannon War Memorial as Private J Daly, A.I.F.
The CWGC record Private James Daly as having served as Hart. He is also recorded as the son of Mr M and Ellen Daly (nee Casey) of Drumay, Derryfubble, Moy, County Tyrone, Ireland.
