1914-15 Star : Major T J Daly, 9 Light Horse Regiment, AIF

1914-15 Star. Impressed on reverse with recipient's details.

Thomas Joseph Daly, a 30 year old bank manager from Ballarat, enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 11 November 1914. For several years he had served with 19 Australian Light Horse, an Australian militia unit. Upon his enlistment in the AIF he was given the rank of major and appointed to 9 Light Horse Regiment (LHR) as second-in-command. The unit sailed from Melbourne aboard HMAT Karroo on 11 February 1915 and saw service on Gallipoli. He served with 9 LHR in the Palestine campaign for most of the war and was promoted to Temporary Lieutenant Colonel for three periods of time in 1917 and 1918. In 1918 he temporarily commanded 9 LHR and for a period in 1918-1919 he also commanded 8 LHR. He was Mentioned in Dispatches twice in 1918 and awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his leadership and actions at Tel El Saba in October 1917 and at Huj a month later. In October 1918 Daly led 9 LHR, a force about 100 strong, to capture a large Turkish force near Damascus. In an action which lasted little over an hour the Australians captured 91 officers, 318 cavalrymen, 1064 infantrymen and eight Germans. Also taken were three field guns, 26 machine guns and, among other material, the standard of the 46th Turkish Infantry Regiment, which can be seen in the Memorial's collection. Daly embarked for return to Australia on 3 July 1919. His son, also named Thomas Joseph Daly, pursued a distinguished career in the Army, served during the Second World War and became Chief of the General Staff in 1966.