Daniel Patrick Driscoll

  General Notes:

There is some doubt as to where he was actually born.

It is generally thought that he was born in Burma, however his Indian Naval records indicate that he was born in Limerick, Ireland. Neither can be verified at this stage.

His Indian Naval records indicate that he served on the following ships:
"Koel", "Jaborona", "Celerity", "Sir W Peel" and "Koladyne" between 1879 and 1882. Is listed as having served in the Burma campaign 1886-88.

His Marriage Certificate lists his age as 22 and Isabel's as 15. Witnesses were W.S. Oldfield and J. Marchall. Father's names listed as John Driscoll and I.M. Marchall.

He sailed from India to East London in South Africa in around 1899, where he joined the British in the Boer War.

"Driscoll's Scouts" were formed in March 1901.

Driscoll's Scouts exploits are documented in detail in the "Shamrock and The Sprinbok".

The Australian author A.J Hales also published a novel style book called "Driscoll King of Scouts", slightly exagerated view of his exploits during the war, but no doubt with elements of historical fact in it.

At the end of the war he fell on hard times after supposedly being fleeced by a partner in a Timber Mill.

In 1902 He returned to the U.K with a letter of introduction to Roger Pocock and became one of the prime movers behind the Legion of Frontiersmen.

In 1911 the picture of Col D.P. Driscoll, "The Old Warhorse" was published in the English Vanity Fair magazine.

In May 1915 Col DP Driscoll DSO raised a 1200 strong unit of the 25th Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers and they sailed to East Africa.

In 1918 at the end of WWI he returned to his old job as Commandant General of Legion of Frontiersman, but resigned after becoming disillusioned with the way the organization was being run.

In 1919 he sailed on the SS Durham Castle for Kenya where he became a Soldier Settler.

He purchased a Coffee farm and subsequently became a District Commissioner,

Memorial Service notice in TIMES newspaper of 20/8/1934 list chief mourners as Miss Eileen Driscoll, Miss Kathleen Driscoll, Miss Shiela Driscoll, Captain Brian Driscoll and Lieutenant Terence F. Driscoll

Daniel married Isabella Marchall, daughter of W. Marchall and Unknown, on 9 Jun 1880 in Calcutta, , West Bengal, India ¹.^,2 (Isabella Marchall was born in 1865 in Calcutta and died on 18 Apr 1944 in Richmond, Surrey, England, United Kingdom.)

  Marriage Notes:

Rev E. Lafont
Winesses at marriage were J. Marchall and W.S Oldfield. Residence listed as Calcutta. Fathers listed as John Driscoll and W. Marchall