No.81216, Lance Corporal, Walter DAY
Aged 27
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Walter Day was born in Lidgate on 5th February 1890,( Newmarket Q1-1890 3B:529), baptised St Mary, Lidgate on 27th April 1890, son of Charles and Harriet
DAY (née BALLS).
1891 census...Aged 1, he was at Church End, Bury Lane, Lidgate with his father Charles DAY [29] farm labourer; his mother Harriet [30]; brothers William [5], and Ernest [3]. Also cousin Frederick BALLS [10] and grandfather widower Henry BALLS [64] farm labourer. All of them were born in Lidgate. 1901 census...Aged 11, he was at Church Hill, Lidgate, with his parents and brothers William (stock lad), Ernest (yard boy), Philip [7], Charles J. [4] and Arthur [2] and cousin Frederick BALLS (horsekeeper on farm). The new siblings were all born in Lidgate. 1911 census...Aged 21, horseman on farm, he was "by the Church", Lidgate with his parents (father now horseman) and brother William (postman), Charles James stockman, and Arthur, scholar. One of the 7 children had died He may have been the Walter Day, aged 22 who sailed from Liverpool to St John, New Brunswick, Canada on 23rd February 1912 aboard the SS "Empress of Britain". His elder brother William died of his wounds in France, in the Cambridgeshire Regiment, in 1918 see here |
| Canadian Archives RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 2382 - 20
He enlisted in Winnipeg, Canada on 15th December 1914, giving 5th Feb 1890 as his birthdate, in Newmarket, next of kin - father, Charles Day of Newmarket, occupation - farmer. He was 5ft 9ins (175.3 cm) tall, chest 37"-39" (94 to 99.1 cm), weighing 171 lbs (77.8 kg), grey eyes, brown hair, Church of England. Initially in the 32nd battalion, transferred to 2nd Battalion 5th May 1915, he embarked for UK on 9th May 1915. Promoted Lance Corporal 24th November 1915; The Battalion were in the 1st Brigade, 1st Canadian Division. Although his circumstances of death card state "attack at Courcelette" the action that day was the Battle of Ginchy, nearly a week before the main battle for Courcelette ( the northern side of the Albert-Bapaume road). Whereas there is plenty of information about Courcelette on the internet, there is little about the Canadian involvement at Ginchy, despite the 2nd Battalion losing 61 killed on 9th September 1916.
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