The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of Second Lieutenant Kenneth Maitland Day, 35th Battalion (Infantry), First World War

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Richard Cruise, the story for this day was on Second Lieutenant Kenneth Maitland Day, 35th Battalion (Infantry), First World War.

Second Lieutenant Kenneth Maitland Day, 35th Battalion
KIA 12 October 1917
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 24 December 2013

Today we remember and pay tribute to Second Lieutenant Kenneth Maitland Day.

Kenneth Day was the second son of John and Archanna Day. He was born in Parkes, New South Wales, but as a young child he moved with his family to Molong. He was educated at All Saints College in Bathurst and went on to become a certified clerk and auditor. He first worked for the New Zealand Loan Company before becoming secretary of the Molong Pastures Protection Board. Later, he was appointed Town Clerk of Molong, before gaining employment with an auctioneering firm in Parkes. He was described as:
... a most exemplary young man, possessing admirable traits of character... honest, efficient and painstaking in the responsible positions he held in Molong, and invariably courteous and obliging to the public.

Ken Day enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in October 1914 and was originally posted to reinforcements for the 13th Battalion. However, his extensive experience as an accountant and a clerk quickly saw him transferred to headquarters, first at Alexandria, then London, and later Rouen. During the two years he held these postings he applied regularly to be sent to the firing line in order to see active service. He was finally selected for officer cadet training early in 1917 and went to study at the Officers' Training College in England.

On 5 June 1917 Sergeant Day was commissioned second lieutenant, and a few weeks later he proceeded overseas to France where he joined the 35th Battalion. He wrote to his parents to say that he was in good health and good spirits. He was appointed commanding officer of No. 1 Platoon, and although he "was of a very quiet disposition" he proved to be "an exceptionally plucky fellow", well-liked by his men.

Nearly four months after he reached France as an infantry officer, Day was with his battalion in the field as they prepared to make an attack near the Belgian town of Passchendaele. As they were lying out on their starting line, they came under German shell-fire. Lieutenant Day was hit by shrapnel and killed before he even had the chance to start the attack. His men were forced to leave his body behind, but he was later buried in Tyne Cot Cemetery, Belgium.

Ken Day's death came "as a great blow" to his parents, the news being received a year after his brother, Mervyn, had been killed with the New Zealand Army. The "dutiful and loving son and brother" was sadly missed.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, along with more than 60,000 others from the First World War. There is no photograph in the Memorial's collection to display beside the Pool of Reflection.

This is but one of the many stories of courage and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Second Lieutenant Kenneth Maitland Day, and all of those Australians who have given their lives in the service of our nation.