Private David Kay
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PRIVATE 5776375 DAVID ALFRED KAY
Royal Norfolk Regiment 2nd Battalion
Died 15th May, 1940, Aged 21.
Buried at Wavre Communal Cemetery, Belgium
On 15th May, 1940, Lieutenant Willeson reported to Captain Long that a Bren Gunner on an AA mounting had successfully shot down a Messerschmidt (other documents record a Stukor) which had then dived onto the men of Barratt's Platoon which was working on the defences.
On the same day and during the same action, Private David Kay was killed while trying to rescue a colleague from a weapons' pit who had been injured by a shell. Another shell came in the same place, wounding two more men including Private Kay. Private Kay was injured so severely that he died within a few minutes. He was the first Second Battalion Royal Norfolk soldier to fall following Hitler's Radio Code Danzig to start the invasion of the Low Countries on 10th May, 1940.
Private Kay was buried close to where he fell before being re-interred at Wavre Communal Cemetery (pictured below).
Private Kay was the son of Gordon F. and Nora O. R. Kay of Thorpe Hamlet, Norwich. The personal grave inscription reads: "Age Shall Not Weary nor the Years Condemn."
Royal Norfolk Regiment 2nd Battalion
Died 15th May, 1940, Aged 21.
Buried at Wavre Communal Cemetery, Belgium
On 15th May, 1940, Lieutenant Willeson reported to Captain Long that a Bren Gunner on an AA mounting had successfully shot down a Messerschmidt (other documents record a Stukor) which had then dived onto the men of Barratt's Platoon which was working on the defences.
On the same day and during the same action, Private David Kay was killed while trying to rescue a colleague from a weapons' pit who had been injured by a shell. Another shell came in the same place, wounding two more men including Private Kay. Private Kay was injured so severely that he died within a few minutes. He was the first Second Battalion Royal Norfolk soldier to fall following Hitler's Radio Code Danzig to start the invasion of the Low Countries on 10th May, 1940.
Private Kay was buried close to where he fell before being re-interred at Wavre Communal Cemetery (pictured below).
Private Kay was the son of Gordon F. and Nora O. R. Kay of Thorpe Hamlet, Norwich. The personal grave inscription reads: "Age Shall Not Weary nor the Years Condemn."
Photograph by John Head