The AIF Project

William John O'DAY

Regimental number1737
Place of birthPanton, Victoria
ReligionRoman Catholic
OccupationLabourer
AddressPanton Hill, Victoria
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation18
Height5' 4"
Weight120 lbs
Next of kinFather, John O'Day, Panton Hill, Victoria
Previous military serviceNil (lived in exempt area under Compulsory Military Training scheme)
Enlistment date7 February 1916
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll24 January 1916
Place of enlistmentMelbourne, Victoria
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name58th Battalion, 2nd Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/75/3
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A14 Euripides on 4 April 1916
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll59th Battalion
FateKilled in Action 19 July 1916
Age at death from cemetery records19
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsV.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
SourcesNAA: B2455, O'DAY William John
Red Cross File No 2030908

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