In memory of my great grandfather Private John Daly

The following appeared in the Saint John Globe on December 1916

PTE. John Daly killed in action

Sad news comes to Broad Street Wife

“Deeply regret to inform you that Pte. John Daly, infirmary officially reported killed in action November 28″, was the message received from Ottawa announcing to Mrs. Bridget Daly, 80 Broad Street, the death of her husband.  Mrs. Daly has received a letter from her husband this week dated November 13th in which he stated that he had just come out of the front line trenches for rest, and that he was in good health.  The news now received was therefore unexpected and came as an overwhelming shock to the bereaved wife, a frail woman with two small children.  Pte. Daly enlisted in the 69th Battalion at Montreal August 12, 1915 and later came to Saint John with the Battalion.  Going over seas with the unit in April, he was transferred to another Battalion, and crossed to France in September.

Private Daly was a veteran of the Boer War; his services there earned him a war medal with four bars.  The deceased soldier, who was a native of Lancashire England came to Canada about 5 years ago and located in Valleyfield, Quebec.   He found employment with the Canadian Bronze Company which he was employed up to the time of his enlisting.  He was 37 years of age in November last.  And besides his wife and children, he is survived by four sisters and two brothers residing at Valleyfield.

My great grandfather is buried in Plot 4, Row B, Grave 13, Villers Station Cemetery, France.   Through the Maple Leaf Project I was able to obtain pictures of his final resting place.   We have no actual photos of our great grandfather.