County Gazette 2/6/1916
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
John Daley was born at Willington, County Durham, one of 4 known children he was the eldest of 2 sons and had 1 elder and 1 younger sister.
His father James Daley was born 1852 at Kilkenny, Ireland and brought to England by his parents who settled in the north east. He was living with his widowed mother and siblings in 1861 at John Street, St Giles, Durham. To support her family his mother Catherine worked as an agricultural labourer assisted by her eldest son William (14) employed as a coal miner. Over the next ten years they moved to Willington, Catherine initially found works as a dressmaker, however, by 1871 she was unemployed, her son William had left home and the responsibility to produce an income fell to James, now 19 years of age, who found employment at the colliery.
John’s father James married Elizabeth Stephenson native of Willington born 1863, in 1881 in the district of Durham. They settled at Willington where later that year their daughter Catherine was born, John in 1884, William 1888 and Mary M Daley in 1891. James and his family were living at 40, Albert Street in 1891, he supported his family as a check-weighman at the colliery.
Catherine Daley nee Stephenson died in 1894 aged 32 years. After the death of his wife James became the inn keeper at the Black Horse Inn, Low Willington but also continued to work as a weigh-man. Daughter Catherine (20) was a barmaid, John (16) was employed at the pit above ground as a belt boy, William (13) and Mary (10) were scholars. By 1911 they had moved out of the inn, James, his newly married son William and wife Isabel were now living at 7 Salisbury Street, Willington.
John Daley had left home when he was married, May 20th 1907, in the district of Durham to Rhoda Paylor of Stagshaw, near Corbridge, Northumberland born 1884. In 1911 they were living at 33, Nelson Street, Willington. His wife had given birth to two children, only one of whom survived, their daughter Elizabeth born in 1907 had died in 1909 not yet 2 years old, son James was born in 1910 and Charles William during the 2nd quarter 1914 just prior to the commencement of hostilities with Germany.
On the outbreak of war John Daley enlisted at Bishop Auckland, September 8th 1914 assigned firstly as Private 14541 later transferred as Private 23387 Durham Light Infantry part of Kitchener’s New 3rd Army, joining his regiment at their barracks at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland. He remained at Newcastle until September 29th 1914 when the regiment moved for further training to Aylesbury where the new recruits were divided into two battalions. Private Daley was assigned to the 15th (Service) Battalion. October 3rd they moved to Halton Park where they were joined by the 14th Battalion forming part of the 64th Brigade, 21st Division but without uniforms and only dummy rifles training was very basic. They went into billets for the winter at High Wycombe due to the bad weather, where they received khaki uniforms and rifles and returning to Halton Park April 19th 1915 their final training began in earnest.
September 11th 1915 Private Daley departed to France with the 21st Division landing at Boulogne. Two weeks later the 14th and 15th Battalions still inexperienced were sent into battle at Loos, the first major battle undertaken by the British forces. After a long march wet, tired and hungry the battalion moved forward to the old German lines on September 26th 1915.
It was during this advance that Private 23387 John Daley Durham Light Infantry was killed in action.
His wife received a communication from the records office October 8th 1915 which read, “Madam, I regret to have to inform you that a report has this day been received from the War Office to the effect that No.14541 Private John Daley 14th Battalion Durham Light Infantry was wounded in action at a place in France on the 27th day of September 1915. I am to express the sympathy and regret of the Army Council. Any further information received in this office as to his condition will be at once notified to you. I am, Madam, Your obedient Servant”. Rhoda replied as follows October 18th 1915, “Sir, In answer to your letter you wrote and told me about my husband getting wounded last Saturday when he enlisted they gave him this number 14541 he told me it was wrong it was some body else number when they…illegible…they gave him his right number 23387. I have not heard from him in 3 weeks and he has been writing twice a week if you can let me have anything if you will, Mrs Daley”.
Having in due course received confirmation of his death John’s belongings were returned to her, February 3rd 1916 and it was pointed out that the items received were the only articles recovered. Rhoda completed all documentation as regards dependent and received a pension of 18 shillings 6 pence for herself and their 2 children with effect as of April 24th 1916 and his awards of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to her at 33, Nelson Street, Willington, the family later moved to number 50.
The sacrifice of Private 23387 John Daley Durham Light Infantry is recoded as one of the 20,660 names inscribed on the Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France, which forms the sides and back of Dud Corner Cemetery, Loos-en-Gohelle, near Lens, commemorating those who fell in the sector from the first day of the Battle of Loos until the end of the war and who have no known grave. Private Daley was 31 years old and left his two children orphans, the oldest 5 the younger 15 months.
Rhoda Daley remarried in 1921 to Thomas B. Ward. Rhoda Ward-Daley nee Paylor died aged 81 years in 1965 registered in the district of County Durham. John’s father James Daley died in 1924 aged 72 years.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
His death was published in the County Gazette 02/06/1916.
John Daley is remembered at Willington on W120.02 and W120.06
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 262
