War service: Egypt, Gallipoli, Western Front

Joined unit at Gallipoli, 17 June 1915. Sent by Hospital Ship 'Devanha' to Malta; admitted to St Andrew's Hospital with heart trouble, 14 July 1915; moved to All Saints' Hospital, Malta, 22 August 1915. Embarked for Mudros, 15 November 1915. Rejoined unit, Tel-el-Kebir, Egypt, 11 January 1916.

Proceeded to France to join British Expeditionary Force: left Alexandria, 26 March 1916; disembarked from SS 'Ballarat' at Marseilles, 2 April 1916. Admitted to 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station, France, with palpitations of the heart, 24 May 1916. Embarked for England from Calais on Hospital Ship 'Jan Broydell', 5 June 1916; admitted to Graylingwell Hospital, Chichester, Hampshire, England. Transferred to 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield, 7 July 1916; discharged from hospital, 10 October 1916. Attached to 1st AAH as supernumerary staff as a barber, 6 October 1916. Admitted to Rochester Row Hospital, 28 March 1917; discharged to duty, 10 May 1917; returned to supernumerary staff of Harefield Hospital. Admitted to Harefield Hospital with influenza, 13 June 1918. Charged with drunkenness and the use of indecent language, Harefield Hospital, 1 July 1918: awarded 7 days' Field Punishment No 2 and fine ten shillings.

Granted leave with pay and 17 shillings subsistence per week to work as a barber at Owen Brothers, 52 Bedford Street, Strand, London, 13 January-30 June 1919, under the Army Education Scheme. Employers reported: 'Pte Hickey proved efficient and we think the experience gained in the English methods of the hairdressing business will be to the advantage of him on his return to Australia.

Arrived back in Australia on board 'Katoomba', 22 September 1919. Discharged, 3 December 1919.

War medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.