Name
Sebon Ernest Sibley Day
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
26/08/1916
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Corporal
360
Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
21st Bn. “B” Company
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
VILLERS-BRETONNEUX MEMORIAL
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hertford Town Memorial
All Saints Church Memorial, Hertford
Not on the Stanstead Abbotts memorials
Not on the Ware memorials
Pre War
Born in 1895 in Stanstead Abbotts, Hertford son of Ernest Sidney and Annie Day (nee Sibley) and living in New River Head, Ware Road, Ware in 1911. He was a domestic gardener.
He had been in the Hertfordshire Territorials before he emigrated to Australia on 15 Jan 1914 on the Berrima to Melbourne as a farmer. He may not have taken up a job as he enlisted age 21 years and 1 month on 28 Jan 13 days after arriving in Australia.
Wartime Service
He served as private from 28 Jan 1915 to 18 June 1916 and was promoted to corporal in France 19 June 1916. Ernest embarked on the HMAT Ulysses at Melbourne 8 May 1915. Went to Gallipoli 29 Aug 1915, disembarking from the Ascanius in Mudros 7 Jan 1916. Suffered from Parotitis - an inflammation of one or both parotid glands, the major salivary glands located on either side of the face 7 Jan 1916. He appears to have been transferred to a ferry port 3 Feb 1916, but is recorded as having Mumps from 4 Feb 1918 before rejoining his unit 8 Mar 1916. he proceeded to the BEF at Alexandria, Egypt 19 Mar 1916 disembarking in Marseilles on the 26th. From there he must have gone to France because he was promoted to corporal there on 19 July 1916 and was killed in action on the Somme..
Additional Information
His attestation records exist and describes Ernest as 5’ 8”, 10st 7lbs with a fresh complexion, blue eyes and dark brown hair. Next of kin was his father living at View River Head, Ware, Hertfordshire.
Acknowledgments
Jonty Wild
