World War I
Day served with a Royal Marine detachment on the battleship HMS Britannia.
On 9 November 1918, two days before the armistice, the ship was torpedoed and sunk. Day distinguished himself by twice returning below deck, through smoke and flames, to rescue two injured men trapped inside which included the ward-room steward. For this act of bravery, Day was awarded Albert Medal (sea, second class). The citation appeared in the London Gazette on 7 January 1919.
In 1971 all Albert Medal holders became eligible to exchange their award for a George Cross, which Day did.
Read more about this topic: Harry Day
Famous quotes containing the words world and/or war:
“I have lived in both worlds. And I think I prefer, to the indifferent, haphazard, money- mad hurry of the Outside World, that of my world; that sympathy and understanding grown shadowy since I have been away from it so long, still is more real to me than the world I am in now. Not only the spangles and the gay trappings made it colorful; there was an inner color that warmed the soul. And that I miss.”
—Josephine Demott Robinson (1865–1948)
“At last, after innumerable glamorous and frightful years, mankind approaches a war which is totally predictable from beginning to end.”
—Frederic Raphael (b. 1931)