Samuel Day was born at Worrolong near Mount Gambier, the second of eight children. His father was a farm labourer. Samuel went to the Worrolong school where he was taught by 'the cruellest man that ever lived'. At twelve and a half he left and began nine years working as a casual labourer, mainly on local farms but also in a chemical factory at Birkenhead and as far afield as the Yorketown salt pans. In 1911 one of Mt Gambier's policemen persuaded Samuel to apply to the Police Department and he began training at the City Watchhouse on 1 January 1912 to become a foot constable. After six months he was sent to Port Augusta and two years later on to the East-West Line for thirteen months. In 1915 he returned to the Adelaide beat for five years, thence to the Edwardstown and Richmonds stations, and in 1929 to Woodville. Mr Day became a Sergeant First Grade in 1938 and spent his career in charge of suburban stations until his retirement in 1950.

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