Daniel McTighe was working as a labourer and living at Battery Point when he volunteered on 13 August 1915. By now casualty lists were appearing with a monotonous regularity and more men were needed to take over from those who were killed or injured. Sickness was also becoming a problem as the harsh conditions on Gallipoli began to take their toll.
On 27 September Private Daniel McTighe was allotted to the 15th Battalion. Tasmania provided two companies for this battalion when it was first formed and for the duration of the war continued to have a connection to the state through both this battalion and the 47th Battalion which was formed when the 15th Battalion was split to form part of the new division.
Daniel McTighe enlisted too late to see action at Gallipoli. On arrival in Egypt and with the formation of the new battalions, he was transferred to the 47th Battalion, On 31 August 1916 the battalion was ordered into action at Mouquet Farm. In all, eight attacks would be launched against Mouquet Farm which had been turned into a fortress and defended with fierce courage by the Germans according to Craig Deayton in his battalion history.
The battalion sustained considerable casualties, among them Private Daniel McTighe who sustained a gunshot wound to his buttocks and left foot. After treatment in England he re-joined the battalion on 19 January 1917 only to be wounded in action for a second time two days later. This time he received a severe bullet wound to his left hand. Once again he was evacuated to England for treatment being admitted to the 1″ Southern General Hospital and later to the General Infirmary at Worchester. By September it had been decided that he was no longer fit for service and that he should return to Australia for a change due to his wounds and the discovery that he was suffering from Pott’s Curvature of the spine – an abnormal posterior curvature of the spine due to tuberculous caries.
On 26 February 1918 Private Daniel McTighe returned to civilian life having been discharged from the 1″ AIF.
Daniel McTighe did not marry. For many years he lived at 191 Main Road, New Town working as a labourer. He died at the Repatriation General Hospital on 28 May 1968, aged 78 years.
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