John Daley (RAF officer)

Lieutenant John Albert Edward Robertson Daley DFC (5 February 1898 – 8 July 1918) was a British World War I flying ace credited with six aerial victories.[1]

John Albert Edward Robertson Daley
Born(1898-02-05)5 February 1898
Kingston, Jamaica
Died8 July 1918(1918-07-08) (aged 20)
France
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchBritish Army
Royal Air Force
Years of service1916–1918
RankLieutenant
UnitBritish West Indies Regiment
No. 13 Squadron RFC
No. 24 Squadron RAF
AwardsDistinguished Flying Cross

Daley was born in Kingston, Jamaica, the son of George E. Daley of New Market, St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, and attended the Potsdam School.[2] He enlisted on 19 January 1916 as a private in the 2nd Jamaica Battalion, British West Indies Regiment,[1] and on 6 March 1916 he was confirmed as a temporary second lieutenant.[3]

The same day he was one of 25 officers and 1,115 other ranks of the Third Jamaica Contingent who embarked on SS Verdala at Kingston. Due to enemy submarine activity Verdala was routed to England via Halifax, Nova Scotia. En route she ran into a blizzard. Verdala was not properly heated and the soldiers had not been issued with enough warm clothing, causing 600 cases of exposure and frostbite, and five deaths. On arrival at Halifax 106 men were hospitalized.[4][5][6]

On 6 April 1917 Daley was appointed a flying officer (observer) in the Royal Flying Corps, with seniority from 27 December 1916,[7] serving in No. 13 Squadron.[1] On 27 December 1917 he was appointed a flying officer,[8] serving in No. 24 Squadron, flying a S.E.5a. Between March and July 1918 he shot down five aircraft and a kite balloon,[1] but was killed in action[2] only a week after his final victory.[1]

Awards

His award of the Distinguished Flying Cross was gazetted a month after his death.

T./Lt. John Albert Edward Robertson Daley (formerly British West Indies Regiment.)
This officer has destroyed five enemy aeroplanes and two kite balloons, displaying marked skill and daring in these several actions, and also in attacking troops close to the ground.[9]

References
  1. "John Albert Edward Robertson Daley". theaerodrome.com. 2014. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  2. Jackson, Patricia (2014). "Commissioned officers from Jamaica died World War I". Jamaican Family Search. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  3. "No. 29643". The London Gazette (Supplement). 27 June 1916. p. 6418. Note: The London Gazette gives his name as "Daly" throughout.
  4. "Forwards nominal roll of the third Jamaica contingent of the British West India Regiment". The National Archives. 2014. Retrieved 12 November 2014.
  5. "3rd Jamaica Contingent, WWI, extracts from the Daily Gleaner". rootsweb.ancestry.com. 2014. Retrieved 12 November 2014.
  6. Howe, Glenford D (10 March 2011). "World Wars: A White Man's War? World War One and the West Indies". History. BBC. Retrieved 12 November 2014.
  7. "No. 30038". The London Gazette (Supplement). 27 April 1917. p. 4034.
  8. "No. 30486". The London Gazette (Supplement). 18 January 1918. p. 1060.
  9. "No. 30827". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 August 1918. p. 9199.
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