Date, Joseph Baden Powell

No.3047 – Private Joseph Baden Powell Date – 44^th Battalion AIF

Joseph Baden Powell Date was born in St Arnaud Victoria in 1900 to Samuel and Grace Date. He was one of eight sisters and five brothers. Samuel died in 1911 and Grace brought her children across to Western Australia where they took up residence in Queen Victoria Rd Fremantle. Joseph was educated at Fremantle State School, during which time he also served in the Senior Cadets for four years. After leaving school he took up work as a storeman.

Joseph enlisted on the 21^st August 1916 at the Fremantle Recruitment Office and was accepted as fit for service. He’d put his age up to enlist. The Doctor found him to be 5 feet 7 inches tall; weight of 121 lbs; chest measurement of 31-34 inches; fresh complexion; grey eyes and fair hair. His religious denomination was Wesleyan. Joseph was initially allotted to No.32 Depot and on the 14^th September was assigned to the 18^th Reinforcements to the 28^th Battalion AIF, however four days later he was re-assigned to the 6^th Reinforcements to the 44^th Battalion.

He trained with this group for two months and was set to embark with them when his mother wrote to authorities asking that Joe not be sent overseas until he reached the age of 19 in June 1917. As a result he was pulled out of the 6^th Reinforcements and went into No.22 Depot Camp. On the 9^th December 1916 he was admitted ill to No.8 AGH Fremantle though soon recovered and was posted to the 7^th Reinforcements to the 44^th Battalion. Grace Date wrote to the military authorities giving her consent for her son to embark with the 7^th Reinforcements to the 44^th Battalion even though he was not yet 18 years old. She stated that her son “wishes to leave with his comrades in the 7/44.”

Joe trained with this reinforcement group for a few weeks as they embarked at Fremantle Harbour on the 29^th January 1917 aboard the H.M.A.T. “Miltiades”. The journey to England nearly took two months as the ship pulled into Devonport England on the 27^th March 1917. After disembarking the men were sent into the AIF Details camp at Fovant on the Salisbury Plains and then to the 11^th Training Battalion. Shortly after arrival, Joe was admitted on the 1^st April 1917 to Fovant Hospital though returned to the 11^th Training Battalion on the 18^th April 1917. Joe spent the next few months in camp at Fovant and on the 25^th July 1917 was sent to Fargo Hospital with an ingrown toe nail, though he only stayed a week as he returned to Fovant Camp on the 1^st August 1917.

On the 20^th August 1917 he left Larkhill Camp and proceeded to Southampton where he embarked for France. On the 21^st August he marched into the 3^rd Division Base Depot at Le Havre. He only spent just over a week at this depot as on the 1^st September 1917 he marched out and was taken on strength of the 44^th Battalion AIF. Joe joined the 44^th just in time for the Third Battle of Ypres in which the Australian divisions were involved during September and October 1917. The 44^th Battalion’s first main attack was on the 4^th October 1917 during the Battle of Broodseinde Ridge. The attack was successful though unfortunately Joe was severely injured with wounds to the arm and abdomen. The stretcher bearers took him back for treatment and he made it to the 2^nd Anzac Corps Medical Dressing Station in Ypres. Unfortunately the wounds proved too severe to recover from and Joe died of his wounds on the 4^th October 1917. He was buried in Ypres Reservoir Cemetery in plot I.G.5.

Grace Date would receive a pension of 40/- per fortnight after her son’s death in Belgium. In 1919 she placed the following memoriam notice in the West Australian issue of 4^th October 1919.

“In fond and loving memory of my dear son, Joseph Baden Date, died of wounds October 4^th 1917

And we who loved him sadly miss him

As it dawns another year;

In the lonely hours of thinking

Thoughts of you are very dear

Inserted by his loving mother, sister and brothers, and nieces”