S4144
TAYLOR, Charles Edward
| Service Number: | 2254 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 10th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Norwood, South Australia, 29 March 1896 |
| Home Town: | Hyde Park, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Boilermaker |
| Died: | Circumstances of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 23 Jun 1915: | Involvement Private, 2254, 10th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Borda embarkation_ship_number: A30 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 23 Jun 1915: | Embarked Private, 2254, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Borda, Adelaide | |
| Date unknown: | Wounded 2254, 10th Infantry Battalion |
Help us honour Charles Edward Taylor's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by St Ignatius' College
Charles Edward Taylor, born on March 29, 1896, in Norwood, South Australia, embodied the spirit of duty and service from an early age. Growing up in a household with his mother, Mary Taylor, in Hyde Park, Charles started work as a boilermaker. This trade required physical strength and resilience, qualities that would serve him well in the war. Before formally joining the war, Charles had already begun to demonstrate his commitment to his country by serving in the 74th Infantry (State Library of South Australia, 2024).
Charles’s journey began when he was appointed to the 3rd Division’s 10th Infantry Battalion on his 19th birthday, March 29, 1915. Assigned to the 6th Reinforcement, he travelled on the HMAT A30 Borda, headed for Gallipoli, one of the most defining campaigns for Australian soldiers (Gallipoli Association, 2023). Arriving at Gallipoli in August 1915, Charles faced the brutal conditions of trench warfare, including constant bombardments, disease, and a harsh landscape that quickly killed thousands of Anzac troops. Charles fell ill soon after and was treated at a Field Ambulance station for 2 days with a debility before returning to his unit.
The Anzacs were called upon to face impossible odds in France on the Western Front. On August 21, 1916, Charles was wounded in action during the Battle of Pozières, a critical fight for the Australians during the Somme Offensive. The intensity of this battle, shown by artillery fire and casualties, showed the struggles of the Anzac soldiers. After recovering, he rejoined his Battalion in December 1916. The Second Battle of Bullecourt in May 1917 saw Charles once again wounded, suffering a severe gunshot wound to his right leg.
Charles was transferred to the 1st Australian General Hospital for treatment and then to Miliary Hospital at Devonport. Finally he was sent to hospital at Codford Depot in England where he regained this strength and prepared for redeployment. Charles spent months recovering and was transferred to Torbay Hospital in Devon, where his injuries were further treated. He was deemed fit for duty in August 1917.
Although the details of Charles’s life after the war remain unclear, his burial at Centennial Park Cemetery in Adelaide ensures that his memory lives on. Charles’s life was a quiet return to civilian life, but his service was not forgotten. The memorial on Adelaide’s Path of Honour, which pays tribute to Charles and his 10th Infantry Battalion, serves as a reminder of the spirit of resilience and courage that defined all Anzacs. This honours the sacrifices made by Charles and those who served alongside him.
Bibliography
Home | Australian War Memorial 2024, Awm.gov.au, viewed 24 September 2024, <https://www.awm.gov.au/>.
Home - The Gallipoli Association 2024, Gallipoli-association.org, viewed 24 September 2024, <https://www.gallipoli-association.org/>.
Home page | naa.gov.au 2024, Naa.gov.au, viewed 24 September 2024, <https://www.naa.gov.au/>.
State Library of South Australia 2024, State Library of South Australia, viewed 26 September 2024, <https://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/home>.
The British Library: The National Library of the UK - The British Library 2024, The British Library, British Library, viewed 26 September 2024, <https://www.bl.uk/>.