2nd Lt
Kenneth Maitland Day
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1887 |
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Place of birth: Parkes, New South Wales, Australia |
General information
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Last known residence: Molong, New South Wales, Australia |
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Profession: Accountant |
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Religion: Church of England |
Army information
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Country: Australia |
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Force: Australian Imperial Force |
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Rank: Second Lieutenant |
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Enlistment date: 15/10/1914 |
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Enlistment place: Rosehill, New South Wales, Australia |
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Units: — Australian Infantry, 35th Bn. (Newcastle's Own Regiment) (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 12/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Judge Copse, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 30 |
Cemetery
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Tyne Cot Cemetery Plot: LXVI Row: G Grave: 18 |
Points of interest 4
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Last known residence | ||
| #3 | Enlistment place | ||
| #4 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Kenneth Maitland Day was the son of John Dickinson and Archanna Day. He was born around 1887 in Parkes, New South Wales. He worked as a accountant. Kenneth enlisted in the Australian Army and was a part of the 35th Battalion Australian Infantry Regiment (9th Brigade, 3rd Division).
Kenneth died on 12 October 1917 during the First Battle of Passchendaele, part of the Battle of Passchendaele. The starting lines of the attack on Passchendaele were near Keerselaarhoek. At 5.25 a.m., the starting signal for the attack was given. The 35th Battalion advanced in support of the 34th Battalion. They managed to capture Hillside Farm and Augustus Wood, thus reaching their first objectives. After a temporary delay due to machine gun fire, they managed to advance further. The consolidation lasted until around 3 p.m. The battalion was then forced to retreat to the vicinity of Augustus Wood. The attack ended about 300 yards beyond the original starting lines.
Kenneth fell at the age of 30. According to testimonies, he was lying down when a shrapnel or machine-gun fire hit him and killed him instantly. As the target could not be held, his body could not be buried immediately. His body was found near Judge Copse after the war. He was reburied at Tyne Cot Cemetery, where he found his final resting place.
Kenneth died on 12 October 1917 during the First Battle of Passchendaele, part of the Battle of Passchendaele. The starting lines of the attack on Passchendaele were near Keerselaarhoek. At 5.25 a.m., the starting signal for the attack was given. The 35th Battalion advanced in support of the 34th Battalion. They managed to capture Hillside Farm and Augustus Wood, thus reaching their first objectives. After a temporary delay due to machine gun fire, they managed to advance further. The consolidation lasted until around 3 p.m. The battalion was then forced to retreat to the vicinity of Augustus Wood. The attack ended about 300 yards beyond the original starting lines.
Kenneth fell at the age of 30. According to testimonies, he was lying down when a shrapnel or machine-gun fire hit him and killed him instantly. As the target could not be held, his body could not be buried immediately. His body was found near Judge Copse after the war. He was reburied at Tyne Cot Cemetery, where he found his final resting place.
Sources 5
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35th Australian Infantry Battalion, (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 23/52/4). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
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Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920 (National Archives of Australia, Canberra (NAA), B2455 DAY K M). https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/ Sources used |
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Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), RCDIG1035061). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
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McCarthy, Chris. Passchendaele: The Day by Day Account (Londen: Arms & Armour Press, 1995), 129. Sources used |
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Unit embarkation nominal rolls, 1914-18 War (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM8). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
More information 4
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/462525 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=73b9ba21-efa1-4a26-b213-1f22ec486aa2 |
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The AIF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=75710 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7413872 |