Private Joseph Baden Powell Date
- Rank
- Private
- Service number
- 3047
- Unit
- 44 Battalion
- Cause of death
- Died of Wounds
- Place of death
- Passchendaele, Belgium
- Date of death
- 4 October 1917
- Age
- 17
- Plaque number
- M423A
- Co-located plaques
- M423 - CPL George Armstrong
- Dedicated by
- Family on 8 June 2024
- More information
Biography presented during plaque dedication:
Joseph Baden Powell Date was born in St Arnaud, Victoria in June 1900 to John Samuel and Grace Elizabeth Date (nee Martin). He was one of eight sisters and five brothers, with two of the siblings having died at birth.
It is unknown when the family moved to Western Australia, but his father was working as a miner in Boulder before his death from tuberculosis in 1911. Joseph’s mother was living in Fremantle with twelve children at the time.
Joseph was educated at Fremantle State School and on leaving school, worked as a storeman, serving in the junior and senior cadets for four years.
At the age of sixteen, Joseph enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in August 1916 at Fremantle, recording his age as eighteen. He was assigned to 28 Battalion but later posted to 44 Battalion.
Joseph was set to embark for overseas when his mother wrote to the military authorities advising them not to send him due his age being only sixteen years.
She later wrote to the military authorities giving her consent for Joseph to embark overseas. He went with 44 Battalion, attached to the seventh reinforcements from Fremantle in January 1917 and arrived in England in March 1917.
Joseph conducted further training in England, before he proceeded overseas to France in August 1917. He was taken on strength with 44 Battalion in time for the Third Battle of Ypres during September and October 1917.The 44 Battalion main attack was made on 4 October 1917 during the Battle of Broodseinde Ridge. During this attack, Joseph was severely injured receiving wounds to his arms and abdomen. He was taken to the Second ANZAC Corps Medical Dressing Station where Joseph died from his wounds received in battle.
Private Joseph Baden Powell Date, service number 3047 of 44 Battalion, died of wounds at Passchendaele Belgium on 4 October 1917. He was seventeen years of age.
He is buried in Ypres Reservoir Cemetery, Belgium.
His plaque is placed alongside that of Corporal George Armstrong of the same unit, who died on the same day.