Name
Lionel Norman Day
9 August 1895
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
04/07/1917
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
34906
Royal Fusiliers *1
8th (City of London) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
COLOGNE SOUTHERN CEMETERY
V. H. 10.
Germany
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, Holy Saviour Church War Memorial, Radcliffe Rd., Hitchin, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin, Hitchin British Boys' School Memorial, Hitchin
Pre War
Lionel was the son of Richard Norman and Amy Laura Day. He was born in Hitchin on 9 August 1895 and christened on 29 September 1895.
of 95, Walsworth Road, Hitchin. and attended the Hitchin Boys British School in Hitchin. He also lived and enlisted in Hitchin. Before joining the army he assisted his father in his business as a greengrocer and fruiterer in Walsworth Road, Hitchin. He was a member of the Church Lads' Brigade and the Blue Cross Brigade. He also had a brother who served in Palestine.
In 1901 the family were living at 95 Walsworth Road, Hitchin and in fact remained at this address for all of the following records. Present were both parents: Richard (32) and Amy (30). Richard was working as a market gardener on his own account. Their children were: Lionel Norman (5), Gerald Stanley (3) and Elsie (1). Also present was Eleanor G Asman (18) and a servant..
By 1911 little had changed. The family still at the same address, Richard and amended his work to a fruitier and market gardener. The census recorded they had been married for 17 years with 7 children of whom 1 had died. All the children listed above were present except Elsie. Lionel was now 15 and working an assistant to his father. New siblings were: Gordon Fred (8), Robert Stevens (3) and Anette Theresa (1).
Lionel had been a member of the Church Lads' Brigade and the Blue Cross Brigade.
Officially Lionel was recorded as born, living and enlisting in Hitchin.
Wartime Service
He enlisted on 8 April 1916 and was allocated the Regimental Number 34906 and was in the 8th Battalion of the Regiment. He went to France on the 4th July 1916 and was captured by the Germans on the 25th July 1916
A Prisoner of War record written in English and date stamped 18 October 1916, confirms his data of capture (above), his date of birth, and gives his address as 95 Walsworth Road, Hitchin.
A German prisoner of war record date stamped 7 August 1917 gives his capture location as Guillemont and confirming the date of capture as 25 July 1916, it also that he was wounded in the arm, and then repeats much of the above information.
A German prisoner of war record dated 19 September 1917 reads: “Sold. 1. Royal Fus. C.Komp. - Erk. MRK. 34906. - geb. 9. 8. 1895, Wohnort: Kitschin (sic Hitchin) Herts. – verst. 4.7.17 im Krankenhaus zu Wissen beerd. Evlg. Friedhof daselbst, Reihe 3, Grab 7. – Aktz. 15348/W. There are also several hand written records which duplicate much of the above information
He was a captive for almost a year and then he died of pneumonia despite hospital care and was buried in Wissen in Germany.
The Herts Express reported his death after letters had been sent to his family from the Red Cross and two of his comrades. The said that they had been allowed to put wreaths of roses on his grave and at his funeral sang Abide With Me. The y described his grave as "Your son's resting place is prettily situated in the cemetery here."
During grave consolidations, his body was moved to Plot 5, Row H, Grave 10 of the Cologne Southern Cemetery in Germany.
Additional Information
He had a brother who served in Palestine.
After his death £10 4s 9d was authorised to go to his mother on 9 March 1918. Later, a war gratuity of £4 10s was authorised to be paid to her on 13 November 1919.
His pension cards record his mother as his next of kin, living at 95 Walsworth Road, Hitchin. She was awarded a pension of 10s a week from 26 November 1918.
*1 More correctly (City of London) Bn. London
Regiment (Post Office Rifles).
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
