Michael Leahy/Lahey/Lahy
- Born
- 1842-01-01 12:00:00
- Died
- 1917-01-01 12:00:00
- Gender
- Male
- Place of migration
- Migrated to/Born in Australia
While no birth/baptism records have surfaced so far to indicate his parentage, based on his Army records he may have been born c 1842 in Kilbarron, Tipperary, Ireland.
He was a soldier with the 2/14th (Buckinghamshire) regiment of foot known informally as “The Old and Bold”. The 14th was based at Queenstown in Cork, Ireland when in 1860 the battalion embarked on the Robert Lowe for New Zealand, arriving at Auckland on 29th November 1860. Upon arrival, one detachment was sent to Napier and another to Wellington. While serving in Napier, Michael was court martialled on the 23rd July 1864 for an unknown offence.
In September 1866, the 14th regiment returned to Auckland before departing to Australia in October. However, between 1861 and 1868, over 60 soldiers from the 14th took their discharge in New Zealand.
After their departure from New Zealand in 1866, the 2/14th battalion saw service in several states over the next three years. Michael Leahy was in Company 3, 4 or 7 under Brevet Lieut-Colonel Dwyer on the Siam deployed to Hobart Town. Companies 2, 5 and 10 under Brevet Major Vivian embarked on the Novelty for Adelaide and the headquarters were deployed to Melbourne.
