Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Ernest's parents were Joseph Lacey and Mary Ann Murphy. When he enlisted on June 5 1916 at Brisbane he had already served one year and six months in the Queensland Mounted Infantry and eleven months in the 1st Queensland Contingent Boer War. He was working at Terrors Creek as a Manager and Director of a sawmill company when he enlisted in WWI. Ernest served on the Pine Shire Council, he was elected unopposed in 1913 to represent Division Three.

LATE MR. ERNEST LACEY.
The death occurred at Atherton yesterday of Mr. Ernest Lacey, a very old resident of the district, who had been associated with the sawmilling industry for very many years.  He was also engaged in the tobacco industry at one time. He was a Boer War and World War I veteran, and was a member of the Atherton sub-branch of the R.S.S.A.I.L.A.  The late Mr. Lacey went to work as usual yesterday morning, but collapsed, and his death occurred at 4.30 p.m. He is survived by his widow and family. The funeral will move  from the Church of England, Atherton, at 2 p.m. to-day.

Note- it appears his surname Lacey was interchanged with Leacy at various times.

Ernest Lacey served in both the South African (Boer) War and WW1. First service was as a Private S.N. 73, 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry, Boer War. Second service was as a Lance Corporal S.N. 3286, 2nd Light Horse Regiment AIF, WW1.

When he first enlisted in 1899 in the 1st QMI and his details were published with the rank and file in The Brisbane Courier, 18 Nov !899, he was recorded as Private E. Lacey, single, Lacey's Creek, North Pine. He was invalided from service due to enteric fever returning to Brisbane where he was discharged on 8 Sep 1900.

He enlisted again in 1916 for WW1. Referring to his service record Attestation Paper, dated 5 Jun 1916, it noted that; he was born at Terrors Creek, Qld, and was 36 years 10 months of age; he was married with 3 children and managing director of a timber company; his N.O.K. was his wife Mrs. Annie Elizabeth Lacey, Terrors Creek, Qld; and that he had previously served in the 1st Qld Contingent Q.M.I. Boer War. He returned to Australia where he was discharged on 31 Mar 1919.

Ernest Lacey (registered as Leacy) was born on 8 Jul 1879 at Terrors Creek, a son to John Lacey and Mary Ann Lacey (nee Murphy). Note, Terrors Creek was renamed to Dayboro in 1917 because the Postmaster General declared Terrors Creek sounded too much like Torrens Creek.

Ernest was twice married. He first married Annie Elizabeth Bond on 1 May 1901 at St. Paul's Presbyterian Church (assumed Brisbane) and in their published wedding notice he noted his occupation as engineer. They resided at Terrors Creek and Nundah and had 3 children before they divorced in 1927. He married a second time to Annie Florence Rampton on 10 Nov 1931 in North Queensland and proceeded to take up residence on a tobacco farm near Carbeen (between Mareeba and Atherton) and they had at least 1 child.

(source- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 454; National Archives Australia- Boer War Dossier; Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 1st QMI, Bk 2 p. 53; National Archives Australia- WW1 Service Record).