William Fairley TAIT

William Fairley TAIT Update Details

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TAIT, William Fairley

Service Number:	756
Enlisted:	2 January 1915, An original member of C Company
Last Rank:	Private
Last Unit:	25th Infantry Battalion
Born:	Brandon, Queensland, Australia, 30 January 1889
Home Town:	Ayr, Burdekin, Queensland
Schooling:	Brandon State School, Queensland, Australia
Occupation:	Farmer
Died:	Killed in action, France, 5 August 1916, aged 27 years
Cemetery:	Sucrerie Military Cemetery, Colincamps, Picardie, France Plot I, Row JJ, Grave 24.
Memorials:	Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ayr Great War Honour Roll, Ayr War Memorial, Brandon War Memorial

World War 1 Service

2 Jan 1915:	Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 756, 25th Infantry Battalion, An original member of C Company
29 Jun 1915:	Involvement Private, 756, 25th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Aeneas embarkation_ship_number: A60 public_note: ''
29 Jun 1915:	Embarked Private, 756, 25th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Aeneas, Brisbane

Help us honour William Fairley Tait's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Stephen Brooks

The son of Robert and Lydia Tait, of Brandon, Lower Burdekin, Queensland, William Tait was farming at Ayr, Queensland when he enlisted. He served on Gallipoli from 4 September 1916, until the evacuation, with the 25th Battalion.

William was reported as killed in action on 5 August 1916, during very heavy fighting at Pozieres. His body could not be found after the war.

His remains were found by the Imperial War Graves during 1934 and his parents were informed in 1936, 20 years after his death. His identity disc and a fountain pen, found with the remains, were also forwarded to the parents, although William’s father, Robert Tait, had passed away during 1931.

William also had a younger brother, 6109 Private Robert Tait who served with the 9th Battalion AIF and was sent home to Australia after his knee was badly damaged by shrapnel in Belgium during 1917.

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