Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Daniel was the son of Thomas Nathaniel RICKABY & Margaret MCBEATH and was born on the 25th of March 1877 in Pt Rickaby, Minlaton, SA.

His parents were married on the 4th of June 1859 in St Jude’s Church, Pt Elliot, SA.

His father was the son of John & Elizabeth RICKABY and was born on the 17th of March 1820 in Blackrock, Dublin, Ireland.
His mother was the daughter of David MCBEATH & Catherine Hickey HOGAN and was born on the 17th of December 1841 in Adelaide, SA.

Daniel was the tenth child born into this family of 16 children.

His father had served in the Royal Irish Mounted Constabulary for 4 years and then arrived in South Australia on board the Marshal Plecier in 1858 and joined the South Australia Mounted Police Force.

His first country charge was at Goolwa in 1859, then an important town, and he then married Daniels mother in Pt Elliot later that same year.

While stationed at Goolwa Daniel’s father had also some experience in the far north, where the blacks threatened to become more troublesome.
He was away for three months with one of the two police parties sent out to maintain order.

Daniel’s 9 eldest siblings had been born around Goolwa and Lake Albert and after 17 years of police work at Goolwa his father retired from the service and took up land on Yorke's Peninsula, at Port Rickaby, which was named after him.

Daniel was the first child to be born at Port Rickaby.

Daniel’s father was one of the first Grand Orangemen in South Australia and was the oldest Justice of the Peace on the Peninsula.
He was the first captain of the Minlaton Volunteer Company in 1881 and was also a promoter and first President of the Minlaton Agricultural Show (now known as the
Central Yorke's Peninsula Agricultural Society).

Daniel became a saddler and in 1900 he moved to Rockhampton, Queensland.

His brother Thomas enlisted into the 3rd South Australian Citizens' Bushmen (91) and embarked from Adelaide on the 27th of February 1900.

Then Ralph enlisted into the 5th South Australian Imperial Bushmen, E Squadron (483) and embarked from Adelaide on the 9th of February 1901.

At the age of 24, Daniel enlisted into the 3rd Australian Commonwealth Horse (Qld), D Company on the 18th of February 1902 in Lytton, QLD and was allotted the regimental number 1968.

Daniel embarked from Brisbane on board the transport Englishman on the 25th of March 1902 and disembarked in Durban on the 10th of May and entrained to Newcastle and joined the New South Wales units at Kitchener’s Kop.

They remained in camp awaiting orders and engaged in exercising, recuperating the horses and marching expeditions through the adjacent country.

The Treaty of Vereeniging was signed on the 31st of May 1902, so Daniel and this Battalion never saw any of the fighting.

The handed over their horses and entrained to Durban where they embarked for Australia on the 11th of July 1902 on board the transport SS Drayton Grange.
They arrived in Albany on the 31st of July where Daniel was hospitalised with Measles and Pneumonia along with 42 other men.

Daniel was discharged from service on the 19th of August 1902.

By 1904 Daniel had moved to Kind Island, Base Strait, Tasmania and was farming.
He was living with Miss Emma Annie Bradbrook BOSCENCE.
Emma was the daughter of Thomas BOSCENCE & Emma NEWLYN and was born on the 10th of November 1878 in Terowie, SA.
On the 23rd of December 1904 they welcomed their first child; Edward Noel at Currie Harbour, King Island.
Margaret Evelyn May was then born on the 1st of August 1906 and then around 1909 they moved back to South Australia and Daniel, with his brother’s Thomas and George took up a land grant of 5817 acres at Sherlock and began farming.
They also took up 1588 acres at Parilla

Whilst Daniel was living at Sherlock his brother George purchased the lease of the German Arms Hotel in Hahndorf and in March 1914 and the brothers relinquished their farm and Daniel moved his family to Hahndorf.

With the outbreak of WW1 his brother Thomas enlisted into the 9th Light Horse Regiment on the 14th of January 1915 (1139) and was later awarded the Military Medal for gallantry and devotion to duty between the 4th and 10th of August 1916 at Hamish and Bir-el-Abd.

Then his youngest brother Richard enlisted into the 3rd Light Horse Regiment on the 25th of January 1915 (2390).

Another brother George then enlisted into the 9th Field Artillery Brigade on the 6th of September 1915 (21403).

At the age of 39, Daniel enlisted into the AIF on the 27th of March 1916 in Adelaide, SA and was allotted the service number 2943 and posted to the Light Horse, 2nd Depot Battalion in Mitcham Camp.

With his imminent embarkation Daniel married Emma on the 29th of July 1916 in Adelaide.
Three days later he was transferred to the 3rd Light Horse Regiment, 21st Reinforcements.

Daniel embarked from Adelaide on board RMS Mooltan on the 24th of August 1916, disembarked in Suez on the 21st of September and marched into the Isolation Camp at Moascar before joining his brother Richard and the 3rd Light Horse Regiment in November.

Daniel served for nearly 3 years overseas before embarking from Kantara on the 16th of May 1919 on board HT Orari with his brother Richard.
Daniel disembarked in Adelaide on the 26th of June and Richard continued onto Melbourne.

Daniel was discharged from the AIF on the 11th of August 1919.

During WW1 Daniel had 8 nephews who also served;

Hugh BAWDEN (5969), 10th Battalion, KIA 10.08.1918 in the Somme.

David Rickaby BAWDEN (3591), 1st Machine Gun Squadron.

Claude Berwyn RICKABY (3867), 32nd Battalion.

Donald Shapland Racey RICKABY (2060), 1st Cyclist Battalion.

Joseph Thomas MARSHALL (736), 10th Battalion

Lancelot Dale MARSHALL (1388), 16th Battalion

Robert Bruce MARSHALL (1164), 3rd Light Trench Mortar Battery.

Frederick Sydney MARSHALL (13441), 5th Motor Transport Company.

In October 1923 Daniel purchased a home at 5 Sixth Street, Bowden and was employed as a Master Trimmer and a Justice of the Peace.

He also joined the Hindmarsh RSL.

With the outbreak of WW2 their son Edward enlisted into the RAAF (47962) on the 14th of April 1942.
Their grandson’s Murray and Lloyd then enlisted;
Murray Rickaby ELLIS, enlisted into the RAAF (154637) on the 27th of March 1945.
Lloyd Rickaby ELLIS, enlisted into the RAN (30988) on the 4th of June 1946.

Daniel died on the 16th of December 1952 in Eastwood and was privately buried the following day in the Brighton Cemetery.
Rev. G. C. Hutchinson kindly officiated.
CHAS. A. BERRY & SON, Funeral Directors, 157 Magill Rd., Maylands.

Emma died on the 22nd of March 1960 and was buried in the Brighton Cemetery.

Military

BOER WAR

At the age of 24, Daniel enlisted into the 3rd Australian Commonwealth Horse (Qld), D Company on the 18th of February 1902 in Lytton, QLD and was allotted the regimental number 1968.

He listed his father, of Pt Rickaby, SA, as his next of kin.

The 3rd Australian Commonwealth Horse comprised of 3 units from New South Wales (A,B,C), 1 from Queensland (D) and 1 from Tasmania (E).

Daniels Queensland unit comprised of 5 Officers, 117 troopers and 121 horses.

Daniel embarked from Brisbane on board the transport Englishman on the 25th of March 1902 and they arrived in Hobart on the 8th of April and picked up the Tasmanian unit (E Company).
They disembarked in Durban on the 10th of May and entrained to Newcastle and joined the New South Wales units at Kitchener’s Kop.

They remained in camp awaiting orders and engaged in exercising, recuperating the horses and marching expeditions through the adjacent country.

The Treaty of Vereeniging was signed on the 31st of May 1902, so Daniel and this Battalion never saw any of the fighting.

The handed over their horses and entrained to Durban where they embarked for Australia on the 11th of July 1902 on board the transport SS Drayton Grange.

The SS Drayton Grange was a 6,591 tonne four-masted twin-screw British vessel that was chartered to carry 1,500 troops to Australia, at a cost of 13 guineas per private and 30 guineas per officer.
Troops were to be fed as third-class passengers "on a liberal scale" and officers as first-class saloon passengers.
However, Admiralty Transport authorities in Cape Town received permission for 41 officers and 2,002 NCOs and men to embark on the 10th of July and sail from Durban.

Estimates varied, but overcrowding was considerable. The men were not highly trained troops being rushed to the front, but from different states, different corps and mostly non- professional soldiers that were un-used to cramped conditions.
Most had seen little fighting and were bored.
As well, fresh from patrolling the camps, many brought measles, influenza, chest infections, tonsillitis, dysentery and enteric fever with them.
There was no isolation hospital and no disinfecting apparatus and as more men fell ill, hospital beds took up space encroaching on healthy troops' quarters, resulting in more unhealthy overcrowding.

No sea kits were issued so clothing was inadequate and blankets, two per man, were soon vermin infested. The men were issued with hammocks stored in communal bins, making it impossible to retain one's own hammock throughout. Sleeping quarters doubled for living and eating with overcrowding hammocks slung over mess tables.
The weather was continually wet and cold; the ship's log reporting heavy seas causing rolling and pitching.
Strong gales and dangerous seas were noted on sixteen of the nineteen-day trip. To shorten the voyage the captain sailed south 39 degrees 55 minutes, which meant troops exercised on a freezing iron deck with heavy seas.
The thin planking over iron sheets in troop quarters was absorbent and not dirt resistant. Ventilators were kept closed for warmth and with no spittoons as laid down in Regulations for His Majesty's Transport Service, men "expectorated" onto the floor.
Scuppers and shower-baths were used as urinals and constantly overflowed when the ship rolled.
Latrines although officially adequate proved insufficient for gastric conditions and despite plenty of water, showers were in the open so most preferred not to wash.
Sick parades were held twice daily, with up to 150 men standing on an iron deck, their feet wet from the urinals.

Food was good, although bags of flour and salt were found on wet decks and meat on dirty decks and refuse not being removed left a smell of rotting vegetables in the hold.

They arrived in Albany on the 31st of July where Daniel was hospitalised with Measles and Pneumonia along with 42 other men.

Daniel was discharged from service on the 19th of August 1902 and awarded the Queens Medal with one clasp.

WW1

At the age of 39, Daniel enlisted into the AIF on the 27th of March 1916 in Adelaide, SA and was allotted the service number 2943 and posted to the Light Horse, 2nd Depot Battalion in Mitcham Camp.
He listed Emma, of Hahndorf, as his next of kin.

On the 1st of August he was transferred to the 3rd Light Horse Regiment, 21st Reinforcements.

Daniel embarked from Adelaide on board RMS Mooltan on the 24th of August 1916, disembarked in Suez on the 21st of September and marched into the Isolation Camp at Moascar.
Four weeks later he was posted to the 1st Light Horse Training Regiment in Moascar and after another 4 weeks he was taken on strength with the 3rd Light Horse Regiment at Bir Mosefig and joined his brother Richard.

The Regiment had joined the Allied advance across the Sinai in November and were subsequently involved in the fighting to secure the Turkish outposts on the Palestine frontier.

They were then involved in the Battle of El Magdhaba on the 23rd of December and they then spent Christmas 1916 at El Risa.
Rafa was their next destination and they fought in the Battle of Rafa on the 9th of January 1917.

Daniel and the Regiment then had a stint of protective duty along the line of communications through the Sinai.
Their next major engagement was the abortive second battle of Gaza on the 19th of April.

They were then involved in reconnaissance and patrols and by May they had moved to Shellal and then to Heseia, near Sausage Ridge.
They then spent June in the vicinity of El Kebir and Kazar, where Daniel was promoted to Trooper Saddler, before moving onto Tel-el-Fukhari and Ghabi in July.

By August they had moved to Shauth, Marakeb by September and then onto Rafa Beach Rest Camp by October where Daniel was promoted to Saddle Tree maker.
Then in November they moved to Ayun Kara, Palestine where they spent all of December and Christmas 1917.

With the capture of Gaza, back in November, the Turkish position in southern Palestine collapsed. The 3rd Light Horse Regiment participated in the advance to Jaffa that followed, and was then committed to operations to clear and occupy the west bank of the Jordan River.
Daniel was promoted to Temporary Saddle Sergeant on the 15th of February and they were then involved in the raids at Amman on the 24th of February 1918.

Early March was spent at Ayun-Kara before they moved to Beitunia and Mar-Elias and then by mid April they had moved to the River Jordan.

Here on the 13th of April Daniel suffered with a Lipoma on his shoulder and was admitted into the 1st Light Horse Field Ambulance before being transferred to the ANZAC Receiving Station and then onto the 66th British Casualty Clearing Station at Moablaka.
The following day he was transferred to the 75th Casualty Clearing Station and then to the 76th Casualty Clearing Station.
Three days later he was transferred by Ambulance Train to the 45th Stationary Hospital in El Arish and then the following day he was transferred to the 24th Stationary Hospital in Kantara.

On the 19th he was transferred to the 14th Australian General Hospital Port Said where he spent 3 weeks before being discharged to Rest Camp.
On the 22nd of May he was posted to the 1st Light Horse Training Regiment in Moascar and then rejoined his Regiment on the 12th of June 1918 in the Jordan Valley near Tel-el-Mussettreh.

They were then involved in the repulse of a major German and Turkish attack on the 14th of July 1918.
The final British offensive of the campaign was launched along the Mediterranean coast on the 19th of September 1918, with the ANZAC Mounted Division taking part in a subsidiary effort east of the Jordan aimed at Amman.

By October they had moved to Kissir, where on the 7th, Daniel suffered from Pyrexia (fever) and was admitted into the ANZAC Casualty Clearing Station in Jerusalem and then transferred to the 66th Casualty Clearing Station 3 days later.
He was then transferred to the 76th Casualty Clearing Station and then admitted into the 36th Stationary Hospital in Mahemdia on the 16th.
Daniel spent 10 days here before being transferred to the 31st General Hospital in Abbassia.
Whilst he was in hospital here the Armistice of Mudros was signed on the 30th of October.
Three days later Daniel was discharged and granted 2 weeks sick leave before reporting to the 1st Light Horse Training Regiment in Moascar on the 16th of November.

Daniel rejoined his Regiment on the 7th of December near Belah and on the 22nd they moved to Rafa Beach Camp where they spent Christmas 1918.
They remained at Rafa Camp where they continued training and held sports events.
On the 26th of March the Regiment moved to Divisional Headquarters in Kantara and were assigned to duty troop for 2 weeks before moving to Ghizereh on the 8th of April awaiting their embarkation home to Australia.

Daniel and Richard embarked from Kantara on the 16th of May 1919 on board HT Orari and on the voyage Richard was admitted into the ships hospital with Malaria.
Daniel disembarked in Adelaide on the 26th of June and Richard continued onto Melbourne.

Daniel was discharged from the AIF on the 11th of August 1919 and awarded the British War & Victory Medals.