Regimental number | 1737 |
Place of birth | Panton, Victoria |
Religion | Roman Catholic |
Occupation | Labourer |
Address | Panton Hill, Victoria |
Marital status | Single |
Age at embarkation | 18 |
Height | 5' 4" |
Weight | 120 lbs |
Next of kin | Father, John O'Day, Panton Hill, Victoria |
Previous military service | Nil (lived in exempt area under Compulsory Military Training scheme) |
Enlistment date | |
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll | |
Place of enlistment | Melbourne, Victoria |
Rank on enlistment | Private |
Unit name | 58th Battalion, 2nd Reinforcement |
AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/75/3 |
Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A14 Euripides on |
Rank from Nominal Roll | Private |
Unit from Nominal Roll | 59th Battalion |
Fate | Killed in Action |
Age at death from cemetery records | 19 |
Place of burial | No known grave |
Commemoration details | V.C. Corner (Panel No 17), Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France |
Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 168 |
Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: John and Minnie O'DAY. Native of Panton Hill, Victoria |
Other details |
War service: Egypt, Western Front Disembarked Alexandria. Taken on strength, 59th Bn, Ferry Post, 24 June 1916.Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 18 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 29 June 1916. Posted missing, 19 July 1916. Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 29 August 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 19 July 1916'. Handwritten note on Form B103: 'Presume Buried in No Man's Land approx 5J90 43 to 5K02.5.1 Sheet Hazebrouck 5A'. Statement, Red Cross File No 2030908, 4263 Sergeant R. GIBSON, C Company, 59th Bn, 19 March 1917: 'He was killed by a shell in the attack at Fromelles. I did not see him killed, but members of my platoon [9th Platoon] did and his identification disc was brought in. He had to retire from the ground. His step-brother, Pte. L. Johnson, of C Co., wrote home to his friends regarding him.' Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal |
Sources | NAA: B2455, O'DAY William John
Red Cross File No 2030908 |