Andrew Day (1894 - 1917)

Ancestors

Biography

Andrew Day was born in 1894 in Murwillumbah, New South Wales (Australia). He was the second son of English emigrant Andrew Day and New South Wales-born Catherine Knight nee Caton. ^[1]

Andrew enlisted on 21st August 1914 in the Australian Imperial Force. ^[2] He embarked aboard HMAT Star of England A15 on 24th September 1914 with the 2nd Australian Light Horse Regiment ^[3][4] for Egypt, in the Middle East. The 2nd Light Horse was primarily manned by recruits from South East Queensland and the Northern Rivers of New South Wales. The regiment deployed to Gallipoli, without its horses, on 12th May 1915 and joining the New Zealand and Australian Division. ^[5]

Andrew was wounded at Gallipoli and evacuated to a Casualty Clearing Station. It was as he was returning to his unit that Andrew noticed a copy of the Beaudesert Times (12 Nov 1915). Opening it, he discovered a report of his father's death at home.

Following the evacuation of the Gallipoli Peninsula in December 1915, the 2nd Light Horse were re-united with their horses in Egypt and joined the ANZAC Mounted Division. Between January and May 1916, the regiment was deployed to protect the Nile Valley from bands of pro-Turkish Senussi Arabs. On 18th May, as part of its parent brigade, it joined the forces defending the Suez Canal. The 1st Light Horse Brigade played a significant role in turning back the Turkish advance on the canal at the Battle of Romani on 4th August. Andrew became a prisoner of war of the Turks on 6th August 1916 when a patrol of which he was part got lost and strayed into a group of Turkish soldiers. ^[6]

Falling ill whilst on a prisoner of war work party, laying railway lines about 30 miles from Angora, Turkey, Andrew was hospitalised and subsequently passed away of tubercular bronchitis, aged 23 years, on 11th February 1917. ^[7] Andrew Day's name is located at panel 3 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra. He is also commemorated at Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery, Iraq and the Beaudesert War Memorial. ^[8]

Following the war his family was issued his campaign and service medals: the 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Sources

1. ↑ New South Wales Birth Index #22917/1894
2. ↑ Australian War Memorial nominal roll: 142 Driver Andrew Day; accessed 22 May 2019
3. ↑ Australian War Memorial unit record: 2nd Australian Light Horse Regiment; accessed 22 Mar 2019
4. ↑ Australian War Memorial embarkation roll: 142 Driver Andrew Day; accessed 22 May 2019
5. ↑ Australian War Memorial unit record: 2nd Australian Light Horse Regiment; accessed 22 Mar 2019
6. ↑ Prisoner of War records; accessed 3 Jun 2019
7. ↑ Australian Red Cross wounded file; accessed 23 Feb 2022
8. ↑ Australian War Memorial roll of honour: 142 Driver Andrew Day; accessed 22 May 2019

• Andrew Day (Virtual War Memorial Australia, https://vwma.org.au : accessed 7 Mar 2024)
• Andrew Day (The Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, https://www.powmemorialballarat.com.au/ : accessed 7 Mar 2024)