TAYLOR, John Morris
| Service Number: | 33013 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 8 October 1916, Sydney Showground |
| Last Rank: | Gunner |
| Last Unit: | 1st Field Artillery Brigade |
| Born: | Liechhardt, New South Wales, Australia, 10 October 1895 |
| Home Town: | Stanmore, Marrickville, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Newington College, Stanmore, New South Wales and the University of Sydney |
| Occupation: | Clerk - later Dental Surgeon |
| Died: | Natural causes, Turramurra, New South Wales, Australia, 12 May 1971, aged 75 years |
| Cemetery: |
Northern Suburbs Memorial Gardens and Crematorium, NSW Cremated - Memorial Plaque |
| Memorials: | Commercial Banking Company of Sydney WW1 Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 8 Oct 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 33013, 5th Field Artillery Brigade , Sydney Showground | |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Oct 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Gunner, 5th Field Artillery Brigade | |
| 10 Feb 1917: | Involvement Gunner, 33013, 5th Field Artillery Brigade , --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '4' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: RMS Orontes embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
| 10 Feb 1917: | Embarked Gunner, 33013, 5th Field Artillery Brigade , RMS Orontes, Sydney | |
| 25 Nov 1917: | Transferred AIF WW1, Gunner, 1st Field Artillery Brigade | |
| 23 Sep 1919: | Embarked AIF WW1, Gunner, 33013, 1st Field Artillery Brigade, HT 'Ascanuis' for Capetown, South Africa with AIF Cricket XI. | |
| 13 Dec 1919: | Embarked AIF WW1, Gunner, 33013, 1st Field Artillery Brigade, HT 'Aeneas' at Capetown, South Africa for return to Australia - arriving January 9, 1920. | |
| 24 Feb 1920: | Discharged AIF WW1, Gunner, 33013, 1st Field Artillery Brigade |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Michael Silver
Johnnie Taylor served with the First Australian Imperial Force as an artillery gunner in World War I and at the conclusion of the war was selected to be part of the Australian Imperial Forces cricket team which played 28 first class matches in Britain, South Africa and Australia.
He attended Newington College from 1906 to early in 1915 and was a student at St Andrews College, Sydney University before enlisting for war service in October 1916.
The Newingtonian described his school career as ‘…the most brilliant as regards sport of any Newingtonian, and perhaps of any school boy of New South Wales’. He played cricket in the 1st XI from 1909, at the age of fourteen, until 1915, scoring twelve centuries and three double centuries; and in the Combined GPS 1st XI for five years, including two as Captain. He played Sheffield Shield cricket for NSW in 1914–15 while still at school. He was also a fine rugby player, rifle shooter and athlete. He played in the 1st XV for five years and in the Combined GPS 1st XV for four. He shot in the 1st X for four years and was a member of the Athletics team for five. He was awarded Triple Colours five times, a feat unique in Newington’s history. Despite his successes he was popular ‘…as much on account of his unfailing good temper and as his proverbial modesty.’
Between 1920 and 1926, he played twenty Test matches for Australia and 135 first class matches. He also played two rugby Tests for Australia against the New Zealand Maoris in 1922, scoring a try in each Test. He is one of only two sportsmen to represent Australia at both rugby and cricket.
"After completing his dentistry degree at Sydney University, he was conferred a Bachelor of Dental Surgery in March 1926. On July 18, 1930 he married his Scottish sweat-heart, Barbara Liddle Reid at St Stephens Church, Phillip Street, Sydney in a ceremony performed by his father, Reverend JG Taylor."
The Sports Centre at Newington College was named in his honour in 2013.
Johnnie Taylor died at Turramurra in 1971.
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