Driver T3/031309 Michael Dacey of the 22nd Reserve Park, Army Service Corps was born 1882, at Clerkenwell, the son of Lawrence and Ellen Dacey .

In the 1901 census, he was living at 3 Baldwin’s Place, Holborn. Lawrence, aged 51, was a general labourer, born in Ireland, as was his wife, 42 year old Ellen. Son, 18 year old Michael, working as a carman, with Lawrence 8 years.

In 1911, Ellen is recorded as head of the family, Lawrence senior is not mentioned. Ellen had been married for 33 years and had produced six children, two of which died in childhood. Michael was a draper's carman, born Bermondsey and Lawrence was a printers’ messenger, born in Holborn. The family was living at 14, Wilson Place, 9 Grays Inn Road, St Pancras.

Michael enlisted at Holborn on the 7th of December 1914; his home address, with his mother, was 14 Northampton Road, Clerkenwell, and he joined the Corps at Aldershot the following day.

Michael died of pneumonia on the 1st of May 1915 at the Royal Sussex Regiment Hospital, 13 Cantaloupe Road, Bexhill.

The Chronicle for the 8th of May briefly comments upon his death and funeral, noting that “…..he was a Catholic, and he was buried on Wednesday with all the impressive rites of that church and the inexpressibly solemn accompaniments of a military funeral, in which his comrades and the Southdowns (*) took part. No one who was present will forget the touching grandeur of the event”. (*) “Southdowns” is a reference to the Royal Sussex Regiment.