Thomas Daly (general)
| Sir Thomas Joseph Daly | |
|---|---|
| Born |
19 March 1913 Ballarat, Victoria |
| Died |
5 January 2004 (aged 90) Sydney, New South Wales |
| Allegiance | Australia |
| Service/branch | Australian Army |
| Years of service | 1930–1971 |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
| Commands held |
Chief of the General Staff (1966–71) Eastern Command (1963–66) Northern Command (1957–61) 28th Commonwealth Infantry Brigade (1952–53) 2/10th Battalion (1944–45) |
| Battles/wars |
Korean War Vietnam War |
| Awards |
Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire Companion of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order Mentioned in Despatches (2) Legion of Merit (United States) |
Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Joseph Daly KBE, CB, DSO (19 March 1913 – 5 January 2004) was an Australian soldier, whose career culminated with his appointment as Chief of the General Staff (1966–1971).[1]
Early life
Born in Ballarat on 19 March 1913, Daly originally planned to become a doctor; however, having failed to gain entry into the university course of his choice, he joined the Royal Military College, Duntroon in 1930.[2]
Service history
Daly graduated as top cadet and in 1934 was commissioned into the 4th Light Horse Regiment.[2] He went on to serve with the British Army on India's North-West Frontier in 1938.[2]
Second World War
Daly was appointed Adjutant of the 2/10th Battalion after enlisting in the Second Australian Imperial Force in 1939.[2] He served in North Africa as Brigade Major of the 18th Brigade, fighting at Tobruk and in the Western Desert.[2]
Daly attended staff school in Haifa.[2] He was then appointed Senior Staff Officer to the Militia's 5th Division which saw service in New Guinea.[2] By 1945, Daly was in command of the 2/10th Battalion, leading them in the invasion of Balikpapan in Borneo; he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order,[3] and an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.[4]
Senior command
After the war, Daly's military service continued with staff appointments and a period as an instructor at the Staff College, Camberley. He married Heather Fitzgerald in 1946 and in 1948 went to England to attend the Joint Services Staff College (UK). A posting to Duntroon followed and in June 1952 Daly took command of the 28th Commonwealth Infantry Brigade – a formation comprising two British and two Australian battalions – then fighting in Korea. Daly was the first Australian to hold this command, and was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire,[5] and awarded the Legion of Merit from the United States of America for his command of the unit during the Korean War.[6]
Daly was promoted to major general in 1959, and appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the Queen's Birthday Honours of 1965.[7] Promoted to lieutenant general in 1966, he was appointed Chief of the General Staff and knighted as a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire the following year.[8]
References
- ↑ Farquharson, John (9 January 2004). "Daly, Sir Thomas Joseph (Tom) (1913–2004)". Australian National University. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Lieutenant General Thomas Joseph Daly, KBE, CB, DSO Australian War Memorial
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 37302. p. 5006. 11 October 1945. Retrieved 23 October 2008.
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 37184. p. 3715. 19 July 1945. Retrieved 23 October 2008.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 39862. p. 2909. 26 May 1953. Retrieved 23 October 2008.
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 39999. p. 5768. 30 October 1953. Retrieved 23 October 2008.
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 43668. p. 5507. 12 June 1965. Retrieved 23 October 2008.
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 44327. p. 6306. 10 June 1967. Retrieved 23 October 2008.
External links
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Lieutenant General Sir John Wilton |
Chief of the General Staff 1966–1971 |
Succeeded by Lieutenant General Sir Mervyn Brogan |
