Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Percy George Day, a grocer’s traveller, born on the 20th July 1871 in Hastings, Sussex (son of John Day, 1828 and Henrietta Hyam, 1836-1884) and his wife Mary Alice Day (nee Sturman, married in the July quarter of 1895 in the Kettering, Northamptonshire district), born on the 19th December 1872 in Finedon, Northamptonshire (daughter of John Sturman, 1846 and Annie Harrison, 1847). Edmund Percy was born in the April quarter of 1896 in Kettering, Northamptonshire, his siblings were, Eileen Disney, born in the January quarter of 1898 and Constance Louie, born on the 4th October 1899, both his siblings were born in Kettering, in March 1901 the family home was at 75, Hawthorn Road, Kettering. In April 1911 Edmund was employed as an errand boy and was residing in the family home at Church Gate, Lutterworth, Leicestershire, together with his father, a green keeper, his mother and siblings, Eileen, a hosiery trade button holer, Constance, a schoolgirl, Sidney Arthur, a schoolboy, born on the 14th January 1905 and John Croseley, a schoolboy, born on the 13th April 1906, the latter two siblings were both born in Lutterworth.
Edmund army service enlistment documents do not survive, therefore the currently available information pertaining to his military service has been obtained from the following sources: - 1921 HMSO Publication, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914 - 1919, WW1 Service Medal and Award Rolls, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards, WW1 Pension Ledgers and Index Cards and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Registers.
Enlisted/Attested in Leicester into the Regular Army. Date not known.
Joined. At Leicester. Date not known.
Posted. To Leicestershire Regt. Pte. Date not known.
Allotted the Regimental Service number 16550.
Posted. To 2nd Bn. Leicestershire Regt. Pte. Date not known.
First entered the theatre of war in France. 27/5/15.
Allocated to “B” Company. In the Field. Date not known.
Killed in action. In the Field. 25/9/15.
Body not recovered. Commemorated on the Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France.
Awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In the event of his death, Edmund nominated his mother, Mary as his sole legatee.
The War Diary records: 25 Sept-15 - At 5.30 am the Battalion was in positions of readiness in accordance with orders in four lines opposite their objective with bombing parties, sandbag parties and carrying parties all arranged and in position. At 6.00 am the first line got over the parapet quickly followed by the second, the left had to right form to get in line with the right as the trench ran back from a salient near the centre. As the first two lines went out the third and fourth filed into the vacant positions in the firing line. The gas affected a number of our men, and the smoke caused a dense fog and direction was difficult. Casualties began at once and the third line was ordered out to fill up gaps. Owing to the thick smoke it seemed likely that gaps would occur on the flanks and at 6.07 am the fourth line was sent out with special instructions to maintain touch with the units on either flank. At about 6.10 am the left were over the German parapet and our flag was seen flying on their lines. The left went forward with such dash that they outstripped the 2/8th GURKHAS and came in for a lot of fire from rifles and maxim guns from our right. This caused a good many casualties including all the officers and most of the NCOs of “A” Company which was the extreme left. Undeterred the men went on, got over the uncut wire and reached the road with parties of the 2/8th GURKHAS and gained their objective. In the meantime, our right had not fared so well. They went forward in good line under a heavy fire till held up by the German wire. A number of our men here were collected in the ditch in front of the German wire waiting for developments. Officer casualties. Killed Captain F. H. ROMILLY D.S.O., Captain E. C. DEANE, R.A.M.C. Died of wounds 2nd Lieutenant M. W. BROWNE. Wounded Lieutenant Colonel H. GORDON D.S.O., Captain W. C. WILSON, Lieutenant H. H. PHILLIPS, 2nd Lieutenant G. W. TANNER, 2nd Lieutenant H. H. HEMPHILL, 2nd Lieutenant V. E. ELLINGHAM, 2nd Lieutenant C. C. BAILEY, 2nd Lieutenant G. W. GROSSMITH. Slightly wounded Major F. LEWIS, Captain D. L. WEIR. Gassed 2nd Lieutenant W. WILSON. Missing and believed killed Lieutenant W. T. PICKIN, 2nd Lieutenant R. E. S. LODGE. Missing known to have been wounded 2nd Lieutenant C. G. WOODBOURN. Missing and no trace 2nd Lieutenant W. J. WILKINSON, 2nd Lieutenant E. A. WILKINSON, 2nd Lieutenant T. R. LONGCROFT. Rank and file casualties. Killed 72. Wounded 217. Gassed 42. Missing 96. Wounded slightly but did not quit Battalion 3. What was left of the Battalion were relieved from the front line by the 2/39th GARWHAL RIFLES at 6.30 pm and moved into support and local reserve just in rear. Before the operations began the Battalion worked for a week in strengthening the front line and preparing the defences behind. Four very strong lines were constructed capable of resisting the enemy’s bombardment.
On Wednesday, December 15th, 1915, The Leicester Daily Post published the following article on page eight, under the heading. – “2nd LEICESTER’S: FALLEN OR MISSING.” – (A photograph accompanied the article). – Pte. P. DAY, 2nd Leicester’s, son of Sergt. and Mrs. P. G. Day, Church-gate, Lutterworth, wounded and missing since Sept. 25th.
On Wednesday December 15th, 1915, The Leicester Daily Mercury published the following article on page three, under the heading. – LEICESTER’S ROLL OF HONOUR. – Pte. P. DAY, 2nd Leicester’s, son of Sergt. and Mrs. P. G. Day, Church-gate, Lutterworth, wounded and missing since Sept. 25th. (A photograph accompanied the article).
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