262491 Sgt. Patrick Daly MiD.British Army 5th Sqdn. Machine Gun Corps (Cavalry) (d.28th Nov 1917) Patrick Daly was born on 17th June 1884 at 20 Phibsboro Road, Dublin, the second son of Timothy Daly and Sarah Levins. He was baptised in St. Mary's Pro Cathedral on 30th June 1884 and had 8 siblings. The family moved to Finglas Bridge and then to Glasnevin.
He married Sarah Downes on 7th Aug 1910 at the Church of Our Lady of Dolours, Glasnevin. His sister Mary Daly and John Monohan were witnesses. According to the 1911 census, they lived on Phibsboro Road and Patrick was a labourer and ex-soldier on reserve for the 12th Lancers. It also states they could both read and write. They had 2 children: Mary, born 27th May 1911; and Patrick Columba, born 9th Jun 1915. Sadly, on 30th Sept 1915 Mary died at the age of 4 from bronchial pneumonia after having been ill for a week. They were living at 19 Wellington Street at the time of her death. Patrick had already embarked for France in May, so he probably never saw his son and wasn't at home when his daughter died.
With the outbreak of World War 1, Patrick re-enlisted into the 12th Lancers. He was 5ft 10, weighed 143lbs, chest 38 inches and had a fresh complexion with brown hair and blue eyes. He was posted with the 12th Lancers as part of the British Expeditionary Force to France. He embarked from Southampton on 23rd May and landed in Rouen a day later. He was promoted to Lance Corporal on 28th October that year and then Corporal on 26th Feb 1916 as part of the 5th Squadron Machine Gun Corps (Cavalry). He was further promoted to Sergeant on 29th Jan 1917.
Patrick was severely reprimanded by his Captain on 16th Mar 1917 for being drunk whilst on active service. He was mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig's Dispatch of 7th Nov 1917 as someone who deserved a special mention in the Third Supplement of the London Gazette. This was not published until 21st Dec 1917. (Supplement 30445, pg 13473)
The 5th MGC Cavalry took up positions in Bourlon Wood during the night of 26th/27th November as part of the Battle of Cambrai. These positions were heavily shelled on 28th of November 1917. Patrick, serving as a machine-gunner, died of wounds that day. He is remembered on the Cambrai Memorial at Louveral. On 16th Jan 1920 he was posthumously awarded the Victory Medal, British War Medal, and 1914/15 Star.
He left behind 7 siblings (his brother James, my great-grandfather, having died in 1914), his parents Timothy and Sarah Daly, his wife Sarah Daly, and their son Patrick Columba Daly.
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