The AIF Project

War service: Egypt, Gallipoli, Western Front

Taken on strength of 3rd Bn, Anzac, 2 September 1915.

Rejoined unit after being temporarily attached to Reinforcements Infantry Camp, 30 October 1915.

Disembarked Alexandria, 29 December 1915.

Transferred to 55th Bn, Tel el Kebir, 17 February 1916; taken on strength of 55th Bn, Tel el Kebir, 17 February 1916.

Promoted Corporal, Ferry Post, 20 February 1916; Sergeant, Ferry Post, 31 May 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 19 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 29 June 1916.

Posted missing, 20 July 1916.

Previous report of missing, now, 14 February 1917, to be reported as 'Killed in Action, 19 July 1916', on the statement of Corporal H.W. Webb, 2463, 55th Bn.

Note, Red Cross File No 2700705: 'No trace Germany. Cert. by Capt. Mills 10.10.19.'

Statement, 598 Sergeant J.D. HARVEY, D Company, 55th Bn (patient, 3rd London General Hospital, Wandsworth, England), 28 September 1916: 'Informant states that he was told by Act. Sgt. Major Hinton that Taylor's body had been found in a shell hole by at night by a patrol. The disc [was] taken and sent to Battalion Headquarters.'

Second statement, 5342 Pte W. BRAGG, C Company, 55th Bn (patient, Colchester Military Hospital, England), 6 October 1916: 'Informant states that on 19th July at 6 p.m. at Fleurbaix he saw Taylor wounded and fall. We were advancing. He heard no more.'

Third statement, 194 Acting Sergeant L.C. WOOD, 55th Bn (patient, No 9 Red Cross Hospital, Calais), 19 October 1916: 'A patrol party of another Battn came across a decomposed body and the disc was Sergt Taylors (sic). He is posted in our own Battalion as killed.'

Fourth statement, 3914 [actually 3944] Pte A.E. WARD, 55th Bn (patient, northumberland War Hospital, Newcastle, England), 20 October 1916: 'Informant states that on July 20th 1916 between Armentieres and Sailly, Taylor reached the parapet of the 1st line of German trenches, when the attack was made, but was killed there. A friend of Taylor's who was with him at the time told Informant this and said that he had been killed instantaneously ... The ground was reoccupied by the enemy, so he must probably have been buried by the Germans.'

Fifth statement, 3588 Pte G.H. NEAL, 55th Bn (patient, No 4 Australian General Hospital, Randwick), 18 January 1917: 'I was in Taylor's Co. at Fleurbaix; I saw him fall on 19th July, he was hit by shell fire.'