| Daniel Kelly was the eldest son of Hugh and Rose Kelly. Hugh Kelly and Rose McNally were married about 1878.
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| Daniel Kelly was born on 3rd June 1880 in Ardboe. He was the second oldest of eight children.
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| Family: Hugh Kelly, Rose Kelly, Maggie Kelly (born 25th November 1878), Daniel Kelly (born 3rd June 1880), Edward Kelly (born 25th December 1881), Mary Ann Kelly (born 26th November 1883), Catherine Kathleen Kelly (born 28th October 1885), Elizabeth Lizzie Kelly (born 6th January 1888), Patrick Kelly (born 15th May 1890), Hugh Kelly (born 29th July 1892).
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| The 1901 census lists Daniel as age 20, living with the family at house 12 in Dromore, Killycolpy, County Tyrone. They were a farming family.
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| Daniel Kelly enlisted in the Irish Guards on 11th May 1901 at the age of eighteen years.
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| During the South African War his parents tried to purchase him out of the army, but as this was not permitted during war periods, it was not until after the Boer War had ended that his father purchased him out and he came home on 12th July 1902.
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| The 1911 census does not list Daniel as living with the family at house 8 in Dromore in Ardboe.
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| Immediately after the outbreak of the World War One, he enlisted again with the Irish Guards. Because he had previous experience as a soldier, he was sent out with a reinforcement on 10th November 1914 under Major Reid, whom he had served under in 1901.
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| Private Daniel Kelly served with the 1st Battalion of the Irish Guards.
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| Private Kelly was injured at the Battle of Festubert, where he was shot through the right breast. He crawled back to the line, where he was treated and sent back to a hospital in Sheffield.
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| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 5th June 1915: Ardboe Patriot Wounded
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| Hugh Kelly, Dromore, Ardboe, has been notified that his son, Daniel Kelly, 1st Battalion, Irish Guards, has been wounded on 18th May in Flanders. In a letter home to his parents, he says:-
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| ‘The Irish Guards were advancing under heavy shot and shell fire, and on top of dead Germans. It was an awful day’s fighting. I received a German bullet right through my right breast and shoulder. I am going on the Red Cross ship to Sheffield Hospital. I had a very narrow escape. The Germans will get now what they deserve since Italy has begun. I have done my share and if I live to get back I will do the same and more if required.’
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| In a later letter he says he is progressing favourably, and the nurses are very kind to them. Daniel Kelly enlisted in the Irish Guards on 11th May 1901, during the South African War, at the early age of eighteen years. His father bought him out of the army when the war was over. At the outbreak of the present war he enlisted again on the same (the Irish Guards) and he has been in the trenches since the 14th December. He formed one of the storming party with Sergeant Mike O’Leary at the gallant charge at Guinchy. His brother, Gunner Hugh Kelly, is on HMS Cochrane, one of the ships in the Falkland’s Fight.
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| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 31st July 1915: Private Kelly at Cuinchy
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| Private Daniel Kelly, 1st Battalion Irish Guards, who was wounded on 18th May in Festubert, Flanders, when at home on ten days leave with his parents at Dromore, Ardboe, Stewartstown, was interviewed by our Stewartstown correspondent. He said:-
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| ‘I enlisted on the Irish Guards on 11th May 1901 at the age of eighteen years. During the South African War my parents felt unhappy and tried to purchase me off, but as this is not permitted during war periods I was noted, and when the war was over my father purchased me out of the army, and out of respect for them I consented, and came home on 12th July 1902. Immediately after the outbreak of the present war I volunteered and enlisted again in the same Irish Guards. In consequence of being a properly trained soldier, I was sent out with a reinforcement on 10th November, under Major Reid whom I served under in 1901.
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| At Ypres we formed a firing line where the tide turned on the Prussian Guards, and we left them with their glittering attire lying in stacks – they fell like corn before the reaper. I was at Reichburgh, Cuinchy, Neuve Chappelle, Cuiviuchy, Festubert and several others. At Cuinchy I formed one of the storming party, with Sergeant Mike O’Leary, V.C., on our left trench and Sergeant Major McVey, D.C.M., Belfast, on the right trench. The German machine gun team had to go under cover from the heavy fire of our artillery. Then we, on the first line, advanced towards the barbed wire to get into the German trenches, although under heavy rifle fire from the German trenches. While we were advancing the German machine gun team rose from under cover to put their gun into action when O’Leary, V.C., spied them and shot them down like sparrows. By this time we were up to the barbed wire, under heavy rifle fire all the time. I shouted ‘Hurrah’ when seeing the German pieces of flesh flying in the air, and Sergeant Major McVey shouted ‘Go on Kelly’, and so I rushed and was the first to go over the barbed wire into the German trench, using my bayonet indiscriminately, and shouted ‘come on boys, come on’. With Burke, Shea Daly and the advancing party we drove the Germans before us. I said, as Nelson said, ‘England expects every man to do his duty’, and I have the satisfaction that I done mine. Had it not been for Sergeant Mike O’Leary, V.C., the advancing party would have been shot down, and I would be a prisoner in Germany. When we took the position, Sergeant Major McVey rushed forward, and shaking me warmly by the hand said ‘Well done Kelly, good old North of Ireland’. The next day Major Reid made a short speech and said that Kelly, Burke, Shea and Daly heroically did their duty, and their names will go down in history as long as the Guards are Guards for their gallantry at Cuinchy.
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| At the Battle of Festubert, where I got wounded, we were advancing under heavy maxim and rifle fire, Major Reid said to me, ‘Go on Kelly, and do the same as you done at Cuinchy’, but just a few minutes later I got a German bullet through my right breast. I had a narrow escape. When I fell I had a bandolier of hand grenades and equipments, as when I received my bullet I lay bleeding and a comrade put me into a ‘Jack Johnston’ hole where there was another boy wounded in the leg. The wounded boy took my field bandage and put it on my wound. After a little I was able to crawl back to the First Aid where Sergeant Major Cahill dressed my wound. Then I was taken over to Sheffield in a Red Cross ship, where I remained till I was fir for removal. I was subsequently taken to a convalescent home at Thornley Hall, where we received great care and the best of treatment. We were taken a hundred miles out every day in motors for fresh air. Then the doctors allowed me to go home for ten days, and Miss Sarah Elder, Red Cross nurse, of Rosemount House, Dromore, dressed my wound every day, and I cannot praise highly enough her extreme kindness and attention.’
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| At the conclusion of the interview he spoke in eulogistic terms of the two officers already mentioned, and he was proud of the fact they were both Ulstermen. On leaving for the station, he hoped soon to go to the firing line again, and take part with the Allies on their successful march to Berlin.
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| Private Kelly recovered and returned to the front.
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| A newspaper report from July 1916 records him thanking Stewartstown Shooting Club for the cigarettes they had sent him.
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| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 22nd July 1916:
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| Mr Thomas Ferguson, Albany, has received a postcard from Private Dan Kelly, of the Irish Guards, son of Mr Hugh Kelly, Dromore, Stewartstown, thanking the Stewartstown Shooting Club for a parcel of cigarettes, which they forwarded to him, in which he says:- ‘I received your parcel all right, and was very pleased that you and old Stewartstown does not forget me. I hope I will see you again.’
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