FAMILY LIFE

Daniel Kiely was born on the 29^th August, 1899 in Kilgin, in the Casino area, son of John & Mary Kiely. According to NSW BDM he had 3 siblings, two sisters, Katherine & Mary & one brother John but there was another brother, William, as he was buried with his father. His father came to the Tweed in 1907 and was a farmer until his death in 1942. His father, John, is buried in Murwillumbah cemetery together with two of his sons, John Jnr & William

ATTESTATION

Daniel visited the Murwillumbah Enlistment Centre on the 15^th May 1918 to complete his application. He answered several questions on the document, and we find out he was a single man and gave his occupation as dairy hand. His next of kin was his father, John, of Mooball. He then signed a declaration confirming he had answered the questions correctly and was willing to voluntarily agree to service in the Military Forces of the Commonwealth of Australia

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CERTIFICATE OF ATTESTING OFFICER

On the second page of the attestation documents the attesting confirms the following; “The foregoing questions were read to the person enlisted in my presence. I have taken care that he understood each question, and his answer to each question has been duly entered as replied to by him”. This was signed by J. Albert Goldsmith, he Mayor of Murwillumbah

OATH

He also made the following oath in the presence of the Attesting Officer: “I, Daniel Kiely, swear that I will well and truly serve our Sovereign Lord the King in the Australian Imperial Force until the end of the War, and a further four months thereafter unless sooner lawfully discharged, dismissed or removed therefrom: and that I will resist His Majesty’s enemies and case His Majesty’s peace to be kept and maintained; and I will in all matters appertaining to my services faithfully discharge my duty according to law

SO, HELP ME, GOD.”  This was also signed by the mayor

MEDICAL EXAMINATION

Daniel was 18 years 9 months old. He was 5ft 6inches tall (1.68m) and weighed 133 lbs (60kgs). He had a dark complexion, blue eyes and dark brown hair. Daniel was Roman Catholic. He had a deformed top joint on his right index finger. His father signed a document agreeing to Daniel enlisting, as he was underage.

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CERTIFICATE OF MEDICAL EXAMINER

The medical examiner certifies I have examined the abovenamed person, and find that he does not present any of the following conditions, viz: -

Scrofula; phthisis; syphilis; impaired constitution; defective intelligence; defects of vision, voice, or hearing; hernia’ haemorrhoids; varicose veins, beyond a limited extent; marked varicocele with unusually pendent testicle; inveterate cutaneous disease’ chronic ulcers; traces of corporal punishment or evidence of having been marked with the letters D. or B.C; contracted or deformed chest; abnormal curvature of spine; or any other disease or physical defect calculated to unfit him for the duties of a soldier.

He can see the required distance with either eye; his heart and lungs are healthy; he has the free use of his joints and limbs; and he declares he is not subject to fits of any description. I consider him fit for active service

CERTIFICATE OF COMMANDING OFFICER

This is completed during the recruits training. Daniel was in Enoggera training camp when this was completed on the 15^th June 1918. The commanding officer certifies that this attestation of the abovenamed person is correct, and that the required forms have been complied with. He then states “I accordingly approve, and appoint him a private with 1-8 Reinforcements.

TRAINING AT RIFLE RANGE CAMP, ENOGGERA

As was the case with men from the Northern Rivers district in New South Wales, they trained at Rifle Range Camp, Enoggera near Brisbane. The Barracks Block was built as accommodation for men in two dormitories, each 36 feet by 22 feet (10.97 x 6.7 metres). Beds or bunks were not provided, instead each man slept on a palliasse with ground sheet on the floor. For many it was their first time away from home. Men from every walk of life, from clerks and teachers to factory and shop workers, were crammed together

Now training for the new recruits began. Firstly, the recruits had to be inducted into military forms of discipline, command, and order. This was partially achieved through a program of basic training carried and, in a sense, was maintained for a long as a man was in the service. It involved marching and drilling with the rifle, cleaning and caring for personal equipment and being supervised and inspected in ways quite different to ordinary civilian life. For example, no boots should be allowed to get in a bad state of wear but must be sent to the bootmaker without delay for repair. Men who were found with hair long and unshaven had to have a haircut and shave

Secondly, after basic training there followed the far more serious exercise of turning a man into a fighting soldier at least partially prepared for the kind of warfare he was about to experience overseas. The topics and exercises in the syllabus of training were a world away from their former lives and included daily physical training, entrenching, wiring, firing rifle grenades, firing the Lewis light machine gun, dealing with gas attack, using hand grenades, using the bayonet, and the routines to be followed in the trenches.

This training was then put into practice during what were called ‘Field Days,’ when men would practice using the skills they had acquired in mock attacks both by day and by night. How well men had learnt to use their weapons, in cooperation with each other in training, would be tested in the harsh reality of the front line. Training could take several months

INNOCULATIONS

All recruits were given a range of inoculations while in camp. The most important jab was to protect against smallpox and typhoid – indeed, having this was an essential precondition of enlisting.

THE UNIFORM

The recruits were issued with their uniform- service dress jacket was made of Australian wool and its loose fit gave the wearer more allowance for movement. The four large pockets were very useful. A unique feature designed for comfort was the pleated back, which provided a double thickness of cloth down the back that the pack rubbed against. Breeches were corduroy worn with wool wrap puttees. The famous khaki felt slouch hat or early service cap is probably the most distinctive part of the uniform. turned up on the left and featuring a plain khaki band, chinstrap and “rising sun” badge.

SOLDIER’S KIT

Australia's World War I soldiers went to war weighed down by almost 30 kilograms of clothes, weapons, tools and kit.

·      Breeches: made from khaki woollen cord fabric, with side pockets and button flies. Soldiers were issued with two pairs of breeches, plus a pair of dungarees. The breeches ended above the ankles and the gap was filled with puttees.

·      Braces: worn with breeches.

·      Puttees: The men wound these strips of woollen cloth, almost three metres long, upwards from the ankle to just below the knee. Soldiers disliked the puttees, probably with good reason: the tight binding restricted circulation and might even have contributed to the high incidence of trench foot. Mounted troops wore leather leggings.

·      Shirt: Soldiers were given two grey, collarless, flannel shirt, plus a military shirt.

·      Ankle boots: brown and lace-up.

·      Socks: Made from wool or cotton. Soldiers were issued with three pairs.

·      Greatcoat: the khaki woollen coat (which weighed about 3kg) often doubled as a soldier's bedding and was his chief protection against the cold and wet. The coat came into its own when snow hit Gallipoli in November 1915 and also on the Western Front.

·      Jersey

·      Singlets: Soldiers were issued with 2 woollen singlets.

·      Cotton "drawers" (underpants): Soldiers were issued with two pairs.

·      Abdominal belts: a sort of cummerbund that was issued to keep soldiers warm and supposedly ward off disease.

·      Backpacks and webbing: The main backpack was a rectangular sack measuring about 15 inches x 13 inches, closed at the top by a folding cover secured by two straps. The webbing included a web belt, cartridge pouches, small haversack, bayonet frog, an entrenching tool holder (plus another holder for its handle), and a water-bottle holder.

·      Identity disc: Soldiers were initially issued with one medal "dog tag" on a cord, but later in the war they were given two tags, made of compressed fibre.

·      Soldiers were also issued with a "housewife" - a sewing kit containing such items as needles, thimble, thread, wool and button so they could carry out running repairs.

·      Also in their kit were a short-magazine Lee-Enfield (SMLE) rifle, a rifle sling, a bayonet and scabbard, and an "entrenching tool" (they were "diggers" after all). This came in two parts, with the helve (handle) separate from the spade part.

·      Soldiers were issued with eating equipment (knife, fork, spoon, an enamel mug, water bottle (with two-point capacity), and a mess tin with carrier.

·      They also had a clasp knife (with marlin spike, tin-opener and lanyard), razor, shaving kit, soap, comb, two towels, field dressing (carried in the tunic's inside pocket), and a hold-all, in which they could pack their private possessions.

·      No item was probably looked after more carefully than their service pay book: privates were paid five shillings a day.

VOYAGE OVERSEAS FROM SYDNEY TO ENGLAND July 1918

On the 15^th July 1918 his unit caught the troop train from Brisbane to Sydney and on the 17^th July 1918 they embarked on the HMAT Borda A30. Alongside his comrades, Daniel marched aboard, his boots ringing on the gangway. As the ship’s lines were cast off and the quay began to slip away, the reality of war lay ahead, but for now, the sea breeze carried only the sound of voices and the excitement of men bound for adventure, duty, and the unknown.

The epic voyage across the ocean has been described as “the longest journey to war in the history of the world.” They thought it was the start of a new adventure- for many it was their first time so far away from home. However, after some time at sea the biggest problem turned out to be boredom. On the voyage, due to overcrowding, training was limited to mainly to lectures and a little physical training.

SLEEPING & LIVING ARRANGEMENTS

Recruits likely slept in a crowded troop deck below, where rows of hammocks or three-tier wooden bunks were crammed close together.

Air below decks could be stuffy, especially in warmer climates, and seasickness was common during the first few days.

DAILY ROUTINE

Reveille early each morning, followed by physical exercises on the open decks (weather permitting). There were parades and inspections—officers ensured uniforms, rifles, and kit were clean and in order. Training was a little problematic—drill without much space, rifle maintenance, lectures on military discipline, signalling, and trench warfare theory. The ship’s decks were used for marching in tight circles or practising bayonet thrusts into stuffed sacks. Rifle shooting was impossible at sea, so soldiers learned to strip and clean their weapons until it was second nature.

MEALS

Three hearty meals a day were served; breakfast usually consisted of porridge, stew, and tea. Lunch included soup, meat, vegetables, and pudding. Meat, bread with jam and tea was served for dinner. The meals were served in shifts from the ship’s galley. Queues were long, and eating on a rolling ship meant many tried to eat quickly before nausea set in.

HEALTH & SANITATION

Shipboard hygiene was critical—every man was ordered to scrub his section daily to prevent disease. Saltwater baths were the norm, with freshwater rationed for drinking.

THE VOYAGE EXPERIENCE

Entertainment included church drill, concerts, singalongs, card games, and makeshift cricket matches on deck when the weather allowed. In an attempt to keep up morale, an area of the ship was roped off where regular boxing and wrestling tournaments were held. This became commonly known as the Stoush Stadium. No letters could be sent until they reached port, but men often wrote diaries or unsent letters to be posted later.

The troops engaged in lifebelt drill; a cookhouse on deck; soldiers on fatigues peeling potatoes 'spud bashing'; going to the dentist; barber, pay day; soldiers cleaning personal equipment; medical inspection

CROSSING THE EQUATOR CEREMONY

The crossing the Equator ceremony, ‘Neptune’s Journey,’ was played-out on each troopship.

SIGHTS AT SEA

On the way to Egypt, where the ship would refuel & take on supplies, the ship would pass through the Great Australian Bight, cross the Indian Ocean, and stop at Colombo (Ceylon now Sri Lanka) for coal and supplies.

SECURITY

By late 1914, German raiders were active, so lifeboat drills were frequent, and lookouts kept watch for suspicious ships. Troopships generally sailed in convoys or at least took zig-zag courses to make torpedo attacks harder. Ships often travelled under blackout conditions at night, with lookouts specifically watching for periscopes or torpedo wakes. The danger was greatest in the Western Approaches near Britain, where U-boats patrolled choke points like the English Channel and Irish Sea.

EGYPT

After several weeks at sea, the men finally saw the dusty shoreline of Port Said or Alexandria. They could only wonder at the sights and sounds they could see as they watched the ship being refuelled and goods taken on board

ENGLAND

About a fortnight later the men finally saw the green shoreline of England. The reality of leaving home truly sank in. The recruits would soon exchange the ship’s cramped decks for the training grounds of England, preparing for what lay ahead.

HOSPITALISED ON SHIP WITH MUMPS SEPTEMBER 1918

On the 11^th September 1918 Daniel was admitted to the ship’s hospital with mumps. Mumps was, and is, a contagious viral illness, easily spread among the soldiers. It can cause fever, swelling of the salivary glands and inflammation in other parts of the body.  Soldiers would have suffered fever, headaches, tiredness, body aches & poor appetite. There is no specific treatment for mumps. Instead, treatment focuses on symptom relief. Treatment would have included plenty of rest, lots of fluids, using a warm or cool compress to relieve facial pain and swelling & eating foods that do not need a lot of chewing

HOSPITALISED IN ENGLAND

Once the ship docked, Daniel was transferred to a hospital in England where he remained until 27^th September 1918

ENGLISH TRAINING CAMP

Daniel would then have entered the English training camp where the other recruits were already. When the recruits arrived in England, they entered a period of intensive preparation that was both physically demanding and strategically vital. During an interim period, soldiers typically:

·      Recovered from the voyage: After long sea travel from Australia, troops needed time to rest and regain strength.

·      Underwent medical inspections: To check for illnesses, infections, or conditions like venereal disease that might delay their training.

·      Received equipment and uniforms: This included British-issued gear better suited to the Western Front.

·      Were assigned to training battalions: Administrative processing sorted soldiers into reinforcement drafts for specific front-line battalions.

·      Drilled lightly: They performed light drills, parades, and familiarisation routines while waiting for formal training slots to open.

Then formal training began. Life in camp was austere and relentless. The recruits lived in wooden huts that offered little protection from the English weather, and the damp cold of the Plain came as a shock to men who had trained in Australia and/or Egypt. Days began early, often before dawn, with physical training designed to build endurance and toughness. Long route marches across the open downs were a regular feature, men carrying full packs, rifles, ammunition, and equipment as they were conditioned for the demands of trench warfare.

Training was systematic and increasingly realistic. The men would have spent many hours on the parade ground mastering drill, weapon handling, and unit manoeuvres, but the focus soon shifted to battlefield skills. The battalion practised trench warfare techniques, including entering and clearing enemy trenches, bombing drills with Mills grenades, bayonet fighting, and the rapid consolidation of captured positions.

Musketry training was constant. The men would have fired thousands of rounds on the rifle ranges, honing accuracy, and speed, learning to fire from awkward positions and under time pressure. Lewis gun teams trained separately, while all infantrymen were taught how to operate the weapon if needed. Gas warfare instruction was also compulsory; men practised donning respirators under simulated gas attacks, a grim but necessary preparation for conditions at the front.

Between training cycles, the battalion undertook further instruction at nearby camps on Salisbury Plain, including periods at Perham Down, another major training area used to relieve overcrowding and provide additional field space. Here the emphasis was on large-scale exercises involving entire brigades, practising attacks behind creeping artillery barrages, night operations, and movement under cover. These exercises often lasted days, with men sleeping in the open, reinforcing the endurance and discipline required for front-line service.

Despite the hard routine, there were moments of respite. When training schedules allowed, the men may have been granted short leave to nearby towns such as Salisbury or even London, where Australian soldiers briefly escaped the rigours of camp life. These interludes, however, were short-lived, and the training intensified as the battalion’s departure for France drew closer.

After many months of continuous preparation in England, the men were judged ready for active service. The recruits had been transformed from a newly arrived reinforcement into a fully trained infantryman, accustomed to discipline, hardship, and the mechanics of modern war. When the battalion finally crossed to France, it did so as a cohesive and well-drilled unit, prepared—so far as training could allow—for the brutal realities of the Western Front.

WAR ENDED 11^th NOVEMBER 1918

However, their training was interrupted by the war ending. The armistice that ended the First World War on the Western Front was signed between Germany and the Allies on 11 November 1918. Everything changed on 11 November 1918 when the Armistice was signed. Suddenly the AIF no longer needed combat reinforcements, but it still had tens of thousands of men in England awaiting deployment. The Army therefore had to find useful employment for these soldiers while organising the huge task of demobilisation

TRANSFER TO 15^TH BATTALION NOVEMBER 1918

This explains why Daniel was allotted to the 15th Battalion on 29 November 1918. The allotment was largely administrative. The 15th Battalion was still serving with the Australian Corps in France and Belgium, but by late 1918 battalions were beginning to shrink as men were selected for repatriation, educational courses, or other duties. Daniel was probably designated as belonging to the battalion for record-keeping purposes rather than joining it as a fighting soldier. Many late-arriving reinforcements were allocated to units after the fighting had ended even though they never served with them operationally.

GETTING HOME

Most soldiers on overseas service wanted to return home as quickly as possible. After some deliberation, the Prime Minister decided that the criteria for returning men to Australia would be based on length of service, family responsibilities and 'assured employment'. Daniel, being one of the last to arrive, would have a long time before he was going home.

TRANSFER TO AUSTRALIAN ARMY MEDICAL CORPS JANUARY 1919

His transfer to the Australian Army Medical Corps on 10 January 1919 is perhaps the most significant clue to what occupied the next year of his service.

The AAMC had an enormous amount of work after the war. Thousands of Australians remained in hospitals throughout Britain and France recovering from wounds, illness, gas injuries, amputations and psychological trauma. Medical units were also heavily involved in:

·      Caring for soldiers awaiting repatriation.

·      Staffing convalescent depots.

·      Assisting with the influenza pandemic that swept the world in 1918–1919.

·      Running camps where troops were being processed for return to Australia.

·      Maintaining hospitals until the last patients could be discharged or sent home.

As a fit young soldier already in England, Daniel would have been extremely useful in these duties even without formal medical qualifications. AAMC personnel included stretcher-bearers, orderlies, clerks, drivers, ward assistants, cooks and numerous other support staff.

The fact that he did not return to Australia until 9 January 1920 suggests he became part of the occupation and demobilisation machinery rather than simply waiting for transport. Throughout 1919 the Australian Government faced an enormous shipping shortage. Priority was generally given to men who had served overseas longest, had dependants, or had been wounded. Men such as Daniel, who had not seen active service, were often among the last to return home.

During 1919 he was likely employed in England at one of the Australian hospitals, convalescent depots or administrative centres caring for soldiers who were gradually being repatriated. The influenza pandemic may also have increased the demand for medical personnel. By late 1919, as the number of remaining Australians overseas dwindled, the AAMC establishments were progressively closed and their staff returned home.

Daniel's war service was very different from that of men who fought in France. He never reached the battlefield, but after the Armistice he appears to have become part of the vast support organisation that cared for wounded and sick Australians and helped bring the AIF home. His year in the AAMC was likely spent assisting with one of the largest demobilisation operations in Australian military history, a task that continued long after the guns had fallen silent on the Western Front.

GOING HOME

Daniel finally went home on the Megantie on the 9^th January 1920 and was discharged on 22^nd March 1920

FOR HIS SERVICE

For his service Daniel was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal

WORLD WAR II

Daniel enlisted in WWII on 27^th January 1942. is next of kin was

His next of kin was his father, John. He served in the 20 PWC and was discharged on 11^th April, 1946

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