TAYLOR, Victor Edric
| Service Number: | 4892 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 21 October 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 12th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Launceston, Tasmania, Australia, 30 August 1899 |
| Home Town: | Launceston, Launceston, Tasmania |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Salesman |
| Died: | 2 November 1967, aged 68 years, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Carr Villa Memorial Park, Tasmania |
| Memorials: | Tasmania (Launceston) Garden of Remembrance |
World War 1 Service
| 21 Oct 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4892, 12th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 18 Feb 1916: | Involvement Private, 4892, 12th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ballarat embarkation_ship_number: A70 public_note: '' | |
| 18 Feb 1916: | Embarked Private, 4892, 12th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ballarat, Melbourne |
Edric Victor Taylor
Pte Edric Taylor, No. 4892 enlisted in the 15th Reinforcement of 12th Battalion 21st October 1915, a month after his older brother Alfred.
His enlistment documents have is age as 18 years and 1 month. However, as he was born on 30th August 1899, he was actually 16 years old.
Having already been a cadet, Edric embarked for service to Egypt on 18th February 1916, where the 12 Btn had just returned from defeat at Gallipoli. Three weeks after arrival he joined the Anzac Police in April before embarking again in May to England for training. He spent two months there before heading to France on August 23rd, 1916 and re-joining the 12th Btn. The Battalion had just seen their first major action in France in July at Pozieres in the Somme Valley. After Pozieres, when Edric had been taken on, the battalion fought at Ypres in Flanders and then returned to the Somme for winter.
However, by spring late October Edric contracted Diphtheria (an infection caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae. A sheet of thick, grey matter covers the back of the throat, making breathing hard. Symptoms include sore throat, fever, swollen lymph nodes and weakness). He was to never re-join the 12th Battalion. His infection developed into tonsillitis which kept him hospital until early November when he was transferred to Australian Divisional Base Depot duties.
Throughout 1917 he was attached to the Australian General Hospital at Etaples, as well as Rouen on 29th March 1917 where the term ‘Under Age’ is noted. He also had recurring bouts of sore throat and tonsillitis even throughout 1918. He arrived back in Australia in October 1919 and was discharged from the AIF in Hobart on 13th December 1919, having survived the Great War, at the age of 20.
The above facts about Edric were taken from his service records.
Edric (21 years old) married Eileen Alice in 1920 and they had one child. In the Burnie Advocate newspaper December 3rd, 1947, page 4, a notice of divorce was posted for Eileen against Edric (railway employee) for desertion at Launceston back in 1931.
Edric died on the 2nd of November 1967 aged 68.
By Andrew Walsh, great grand nephew of Edric
Submitted 23 May 2023 by Andrew Walsh
Biography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Victor Taylor enlisted at barely 16 years of age during 1915.
He was found out during early 1917 and was transferred to the 1st Australian General Hospital, presumably to get him away from the front line.
He was sent home to Australia in September 1919, having just reached the age of 20.
His brother, 994 Private Frederick Henry Taylor 40th Battalion AIF, died of wounds 28 March 1918, age 20.
Another brother, 3701 Private Alfred Edward Taylor Private 25th Battalion, was sent home in 1917 but died of wounds in Launceston 13 June 1921, age 27.
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