Name
Harry Day
14 May 1887
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
25/03/1919
31
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
24122
Canadian Infantry
13th Bn. Canadian Infantry
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
WELWYN CEMETERY, HERTFORDSHIRE
Old Cemetery N. Grave 289
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Welwyn Village Memorial,
St Mary the Virgin Roll of Honour, Welwyn
Pre War
Harry Day was born on 14 May 1887 in Welwyn, Herts, the son of Frederick Day and Beachy (nee Kendell), and baptised at St Mary's Church, Welwyn on 7 August 1887. Although his parents had married in Bermondsey in 1868, they had moved back to Ayot St Peter by 1871 where his mother had been born. He was second youngest of seven brothers and three sisters.
His mother moved to Codicote Road, Welwyn following his father's death in 1892 and worked as a dressmaker. On the 1911 Census Harry was listed as working as a footman in Crawley, Sussex but soon emigrated to Canada.
Wartime Service
Harry enlisted into the Canadian Expeditonary Forces, on 23rd September 1914 in Montreal, Canada. His widowed mother was named as next of kin, his occupation as a Valet and his religion as Wesleyan.
After initial training he was posted to the newly raised 13th Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada) and sailed for UK on 3 Oct 1914, being promoted to Lance Corporal in November 1914. The Battalion transited onward to France and took part in 2nd Battle of Ypres in April/May 1915,
Harry was admitted to Hampstead Military Hospital in May 1915, suffering from shrapnel wounds to his face and arm sustained the previous month at Ypres. He was hospitalised 3 more times in the next 2 years as a result of gas attacks.
On 13th September 1917 he embarked for Canada from Liverpool, and was admitted to Montreal Military Hospital suffering from neurasphenia (a form of shell shock) and heart problems. Harry was discharged as Unfit for Military Service on 18th February 1918.
A year after his discharge he returned to Welwyn, arriving in Liverpool on 7th February 1919 on SS Melita, possibly knowing he was coming home to die. He died of heart disease in the family home in Codicote Road. Welwyn on 25th March 1919 and was buried in Welwyn Cemetery following a funeral at St Mary's Church.
Additional Information
* Although listed as Sergeant on the Memorial, he is listed as Lance Corporal on the CWGC database and Private in an obituary.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper, Brenda Palmer
Paul Jiggens, Welwyn and District History Society - www.welwynww1.co.uk, www.bac-lac.gc.ca, Brenda Palmer
