Daniel Daly was born in Northfleet on 16 August 1897 to John Daly (born 1848 in County Kerry, Ireland) and Elizabeth (born 1864 in Northfleet). In the 1901 Census Daniel is listed as living at 15 Rose Street, Northfleet with his parents, 3 older brothers – John Patrick (born 1887), Robert (born 1888), Thomas Maurice (born 1895) and a sister Catherine (born 24/03/1890). Daniel’s father is listed as a Storekeeper at a Cement Works. Prior to the 1911 Census there was another brother Edward (born 1901) and sister Magdalen Mary Violet (born 1908). Magdalen died at age 5 and was buried in Northfleet Cemetery on 4 February 1914.
The first school that Daniel attended was St Joseph’s Roman Catholic School in Northfleet. In June 1909 he was awarded a Scholarship to The Gravesend County Day School (now Gravesend Grammar School) and was a student until 1913. The County Day School had been originally opened in 1893 as a school of science and art, located in Darnley Street close to Gravesend Railway Station. (With the move of Gravesend Grammar School in 1938 to its present site in Milton Road, the original school building is now the Victoria Centre for Adult Education). By the time that Daniel attended the School, the 1902 Education Act had been passed and the school had become a recognised Secondary School. The Headmaster at the time was H F A Wigley, BA, FCS. The family’s address in the School Admissions Register in 1909 was 112 High Street, Northfleet.
In the 1911 Census they were still at the same address, brother John at age 23 was a Clerk in a Paper Works, Robert, 22, a Clerk for an Estate Agents and Thomas, 16, also a Clerk at a Paper Works. Sister Catherine, or Kate – she attended the County Day School from 1904 – was a Schoolteacher at St. Joseph’s. When Daniel left the School in 1913 he was employed as a Clerk in the London County Council Offices, Education Department.
Daniel enlisted in Sun Street as a Private in the City of London Regiment, 7th Battalion, Regiment No. 3251 (or 351090). After training, he arrived in France on 18 August 1915. He served for 15 months and was wounded 4 times, until he was listed as wounded and missing on 7 October 1916. Brother Robert who was a Lance Corporal in the Royal West Kent’s, 6th Battalion (Regt. No. G/12223) was also reported missing in December 1916. There was still no news for the family in January the following year, but ultimately both brothers were reported killed in action in the Somme on the same day – 7 October 1916.
Daniel Daly is remembered at Thiepval Memorial, near Albert, Somme – Pier Face 9D and 9C, 13C and 12C. Robert Daly is also remembered there.
Brothers Thomas, John and Edmund all served during World War One. In the Kent Messenger (2 December 1916) Mrs Daly is commended for having all 5 sons serving their country (it was not known at the time that 2 had been killed in action). Thomas served as a Sergeant with the Army Service Corps in Egypt from 1915. He went on to marry a Turkish woman, Anna Bodikan in Istanbul, they had 3 children before he died there in 1928. John was a Sergeant in the Royal Engineers and Edmund joined the Navy at the age of 16 in 1916.

Daniel Daly

Thiepval Memorial, Somme