Thomas Joseph Daly was a 30 year old bank manager from Humffray Street Ballarat when he enlisted in November 1914. Due to prior military service he joined the 9th Light Horse Regiment at the rank of Major. He embarked from Melbourne aboard the Karroo in February 1915 and saw service at Gallipoli. He then served with distinction in Palestine for most of the war. He was twice Mentioned in Dispatches and awarded the Distinguished Service Order, his citation reading: Near Tel El Saba [near Beersheba] on the 31st October 1917, for making a personal reconnaissance over very heavily shell-swept country and selecting a route for the Regiment to move to support the New Zealand Rifles Brigade. This route was followed by the Regiment and Wadis crossed at places selected by Major DALY. So skilfully was the route selected that the Regiment was able to move into position travelling over a distance of more than 2000 yards without a single casualty. On 8th November 1917, near Huj he directed operations which resulted in the capture of a 15cm Howitzer by Lt Hargraves. Throughout the whole of the recent operations his work as Second in Command of the Regiment has been most valuable. Daly returned to Australia in mid 1919.