SYDNEY GEORGE DAY
The role of Writer in the Royal Navy relates to logistics, specifically in Sydney George Day's case to Naval Transport. This is not perhaps an obvious vocation but having a father who was in the same field must have influenced the young Sydney when he came to choosing a career.
The father in question was William Day who was born at Hayling Island in 1862. In 1888 he married Emily Annie Holmes in Weymouth. She had been born at North Worlington, Devon in 1866. Given the location of the marriage it seems likely that William was serving in the Royal Navy at the time. They must have settled in the area as their first child Ethel Gladys was born at Portland in 1891, but shortly afterwards William must have been posted to Australia where their second child, Dorothy Kate Georgina was born (in 1894).
By 1891 however they were back in the UK, living at 168 Albert Road, Southsea. Sydney George, their third child was born was born in 1897 either at that address or at 19 Cardiff Road, Stamshaw which is where the 1901 census listed them. Sometime during the following decade William retired from the Navy as Chief Writer and Sydney George began attending the Secondary School on Victoria Road North in Southsea.
He completed the full four years' course at the School in 1913, at the end of which time he passed as Boy Writer in the Dockyard. In December, 1915, he volunteered for King and Country, was called up for service in the following January as a Naval Writer, and sent to Calais, where for nearly two years he was engaged in Naval Transport, doing excellent work. He was mentioned in despatches, November 8th, 1918, "for gallant and distinguished services."
He died in Calais on November 24th, 1918, from pneumonia, and was buried in Les Baraques Cemetery.
Further Information
The photograph and some of the information above is taken from a memorial booklet published by Southern Grammar School.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) website lists Writer 3rd [Class] Sydney George Day (M/18560), Royal Navy, HMS President II, date of death, 24/11/1918, buried at Les Baraques Military Cemetery, Sangatte (Grave Ref: VI.H.13). Son of William and E. A. Day, of 51, Gladys Avenue, Portsmouth.
Sydney Day is remembered on the Southern Grammar School WW1 Memorial and on the Cenotaph. He is not listed in the 'National Roll of the Great War'