Day, Harold
2898 Private Harold Thomas Talbot Day - 48th Battalion AIF
Harold Talbot Day was born in Footscray Victoria on the 26th March 1888 to Thomas and Mary Day. He was one of six siblings, with Edith (1879), Lorinda (1882), George (1885), Ida (1890) and Gordon (1894).
The Day's moved to Western Australia in the late 1890's where one of the Day relatives was operating a bakery in Fremantle. Harold completed his education in Fremantle and took up employment locally.
On the 11th November 1912 Harold married Esther Alice Gunnyon at Scots Church Fremantle and a son Alan was born in 1913. Further children would be born over the coming years, Joan, Gwen, Beverley and Keith.
In 1914 Harold was farming at Kulin though they also had residence in Skinner Street Fremantle.
On the 23rd June 1916 Harold enlisted into the AIF. He was accepted as fit for service, with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 8 & 1/2 inches tall;
Weight - 151lbs;
Chest Measurement - 34-38 inches;
Complexion - Fresh;
Eyes - Brown;
Hair - Brown.
After his successful enlistment, Harold was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to No.81 Depot. He got taken through the basics of infantry work in this training depot and on the 10th September 1916 was assigned to the 7th Reinforcements to the 48th Battalion AIF. He was also appointed an Acting Corporal during this time.
On the 9th November 1916 Harry's group went to Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Argyllshire and set sail for England, disembarking at Devonport on the 10th January 1917.
After leaving the troopship, Harry and his group were sent to the 12th Training Battalion at Codford Camp. Harry remained in England for four months.
On the 3rd May 1917 he departed for France, being taken on strength of the 48th battalion on the 7th May 1917. The 48th battalion had just come through Bullecourt and had heavy casualties so Harry was one of the reinforcements that came in to fill these gaps.
From June to August 1917 the 48th Battalion served in the Messines sector in Belgium and from September to November 1917 served in the Third Battle of Ypres. Harry saw action with the 48th Battalion at Polygon Wood, Broodseinde Ridge and Passchendaele.
On the 12th October 1917 the 48th Battalion had heavy casualties as they attempted to capture Passchendaele, though Harry came through unscathed.
The 48th battalion, as part of the 4th Australian Division were in Peronne in December 1918 but returned to the Messines front in January 1918. They helped hold the line between Messines and Ypres from January to March 1918.
On March 21st 1918 the Germans launched a large offensive to the south which broke through the British lines. The Australian Divisions were sent south to help stop the German advance.
The 48th Battalion was at Dernancourt in late March and early April 1918 and with other units of the 12th and 13th Brigades, helped to stop the German advance. Casualties were heavy but Harold came through unhurt.
They were then sent to the Villers-Bretonneux front where they saw heavy action at Monument Wood on 3rd May 1918. Harold and his unit remained around Villers-Bretonneux for the next two months.
On the 10th July 1918 Harold was granted leave to the UK and he returned to the 48th Battalion on the 5th August 1918. Harold then participated in the 8th August 1918 advance from the Villers Bretonneux front which broke through the Germans lines. Harry was in action with his unit from August 8th to September 18th 1918.
The September 18th action at Le Verguier was the 48th Battalion's last action in the war. They were then pulled out of the line for a rest period and the Armistice was announced before they could return to the front.
On the 14th October 1918 Harold was sent to the 4th Division Sanitary School for five days, rejoining the 48th Battalion on the 19th October 1918.
After the Armistice was announced the 48th Battalion went to what had been German occupied parts of France and Belgium.
On the 22nd February 1919 Harry was granted leave to see Brussels, returning to his unit on the 2nd March 1919. Harry remained in Belgium until the 31st March 1919 when he was returned to England. Harry was sent to No.4 Command Depot Camp at Hurdcott to await being assigned a berth on a ship home.
On the 4th May 1919 Harry boarded the transport ship Bremen and set sail for home, disembarking in Fremantle on the 18th July 1919.
Harry was discharged from the AIF on the 23rd August 1919.
The family were then living at 17 Barnett Street East Fremantle but after returning from the Great War, Harold returned to farming at Kulin WA and they lived at Kulin up to 1954. They were involved in many of the social activities in the Kulin district and for a time Harold was also President of the local RSL.
During World War Two, Harry had enlisted for service and was assigned to the 10th Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps which was located in the Narrogin and Kulin region.
In 1955 the Day's had moved and were living in Comer Street Como.
Esther died on the 16th July 1966 in Como.
Harold died on the 3rd February 1969 aged 80. He was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery.