The AIF Project

Norman Bowman TAYLOR

Regimental number3915
Date of birth1897
Place of birthCoalgate, Alloa, Glasgow, Scotland
SchoolAlloa and Drawinghill Council Schools, Glasgow, Scotland
Age on arrival in Australia16
ReligionPresbyterian
OccupationFarmer
AddressLangwarrin, Victoria
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation18
Height5' 7"
Weight116 lbs
Next of kinMother, Mrs Jane C Taylor, Langwarrin, Victoria
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date1 December 1915
Place of enlistmentMelbourne, Victoria
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name24th Battalion, 9th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/41/3
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A69 Warilda on 8 February 1916
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll59th Battalion
FateKilled in Action 19 July 1916
Age at death19
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsV.C. Corner (Panel No 18), Australian Cemetery, Fromelles, France
Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
169
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: John and Jane Morrison TAYLOR, Glebe Road, Glebe Point, New South Wales. Native of Alloa, Scotland
Family/military connectionsBrother: 4230 Pte Peter TAYLOR, 21st Bn, killed in action, 8 March 1917.
Other details

War service: Western Front

Taken on strength, 59th Bn, Duntroon Plateau, 20 April 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 18 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 29 June 1916.

Posted missing, 19 July 1916.

Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 29 August 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 19 July 1916'.

Handwritten note on Form B103: 'Presumed Buried In No Man's Land approx 5J90 43 to 5K02.5.1 Sheet Hazebrouck 5A'.

Statement, Red Cross File No 2710107 , 3628 Pte M.V. RYAN, 59th Bn (patient, 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield, England), 9 March 1917: 'Fleurbaix out in No Man's Land about 300 yards out he was lying badly wounded. He was about 5 yards away from me. I spoke to him the night we were wounded and next day I called to him and got no reply. He was dying very quiet. We were hit on the 19th. and brought in on the 21st, but he was still out there so far as I knew ... Where we were lying out wounded was close to [the] German lines. We did not hold the ground but there was a heavy fog and someone came over and got me in.'

Second statement, 3628 Pte M.V. RYAN, 59th Bn, 30 July 1917: 'Whilst I was laying wounded on the 19th July at Fleurbaix I saw Casualty lying about 10 yards away from me. I called out to him and he replied something. Next morning I called out again but received no response. The Germans were shooting the wounded at the time. I actually saw a German sniper behind a tree shooting at us. This was near the German trenches where I lay and where Casualty was. I could hear the bullets going into a dead Sgt. near me. One actually flicked me over the eye. Casualty was dead.'

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, TAYLOR Norman Bowman
Red Cross File No 2710107 (28131)

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