Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Great War pair awarded to Second Lieutenant W. C. T. Daly, 3rd Battalion, The Rifle Brigade, who was mortally wounded in France in August 1916

British War and Victory Medals (2. Lieut. W. C. T. Daly.) contained in a contemporary ‘Rifle’ green leather hinged front display stand, the outer lid gold-embossed ‘Cecil.’, extremely fine (2) £200-£260

William Cecil Thomas Daly, known as Cecil, was born at Dunsandle, County Galway, on 4 February 1897, second son of William Daly, of Dunsandle, County Galway, J.P., D.L. He was educated at St Anthony’s, Eastbourne, and Downside College, near Bath. He entered the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, in February 1915, was gazetted 2nd Lieutenant, Rifle Brigade, 11 August following, and attached to the 5th Battalion in the Isle of Sheppey. He went to France on 5 June 1916, and joined the 3rd Battalion. He was killed in action in the attack on Guillemont Station, on the Somme front, on 18 August 1916, aged nineteen and a half. He was leading a bombing platoon at the time, and had reached a German trench, when he was hit by a bullet, and died some hours later.

His Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel R. Pigot, wrote to Mrs Daly: “He had reached the German trench and had behaved in a most gallant way, earning the admiration of Officers, N.C.O’s and men of his Company. He was hit by a bullet in his chest - the doctor assured me that nothing could have saved him. I saw him and spoke to him before he died, and though he was in some pain he was quite cheerful.”

Another officer, M. T. Boscawen, wrote: “As Cecil had been in my Company since he had come out to France, I feel you will like to know as much as I can tell you of the facts of his death. On the 18th the Battalion was ordered to attack the German trenches to the north of Guillemont and take the station, and it was during this attack that Cecil was killed. He had charge of the Bombing Platoon which was in the second line, but as the first line was held up he brought his men up and while giving orders he received a bullet in the neck. He was bandaged up by his sergeant and put in a shell hole while the Batt. took the trenches, and in the evening he was taken down to the dressing station - on the way down I passed him and talked to him, but when he got down to the dressing station he passed away, close by to which he was buried - this at the N.W. corner of Beaufay Wood.

I can’t tell you how I shall miss him and what a loss he is to the Coy, but I am sure he died as he would have wished, leading his men at close quarters with the enemy. Of the four officers in my Company who took part in the attack all were killed, but we took the trenches and a large number of prisoners, and although they did not live to see it themselves, others know and appreciate their work.”

Sold with contemporary copies of the above two letters, and another from Arthur Buxton, Chaplain, 3rd Rifle Brigade; Buckingham Palace and War Office P.O. Telegrams to Mrs Daly; a pencil sketch of his original grave marker and a pencil sketch map of its location.