Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Arthur was the third child of John Samuel and Kezia Taylor being born at Kingston SE, South Australia.  He was a butcher by trade and worked for Pinkertons of Kingston.  He also worked at Parataps, a property just outside Kingston owned by the Tapfields.  A son, Eric Tapfield was one of his best friends and they went to WWI together serving in the Palestine campaign.  They made a pact that if either of them did not return they would have each other's most prized possesssion.  For Eric it was his horse and Arthur's most prized possession was his bike. Unfortunately, whilst Arthur was serving his Mother had sold his bike.

Before WWI Arthur worked on the east-west railway line between Port Augusta and Kalgoorlie.  His main resposnibilities were associated with the care and handling of the camels used to transport sleeper and railway track.  This would have been an exellent background for being attached to the Imperial Camel Corp.   

His enlistment states he was serving with the 22nd light horse was 5 feet 6 inches tall weighing 146 pounds. medium complexion, brown hair and blue eyes. He was hospitalised in Abbassia in 1916 and was wouded in 1918 which required treatment and 2 months for recovery to return to duty.   He returned to Australia disembarking from the "Oxfordshire" on 10 August 1919 with discharge 3 October 1919.  For his service Arthur received 1914/15 Star, British War Medal (11984) and the Victory Medal. 

He would never talk about the war experiences as it would upset him for long periods.  This would have been exacerbated by death in action of his best friend, Eric Tapfield, who was shot dead by friendly fire beside Arthur, during a charge   

He had some souvenirs from the conflict one being a dress sword of a Turkish Officer, an Egyptian brass tray won at a bridge game in Cairo and an ebroidered silk cloth purchased in Cairo whilst he was recovering from his war wounds.

Whilst serving in the AIF, allotments of 3 shillings per pay were forwarded to his Mother, Kezia Taylor, When he returned he found all of this had been spent and he had nothing when he married Venie Doyle on 14 February 1920. They lived in a small cottage, "Honeymoon Cottage".  They had 3 children, the second child and first son was named Eric Arthur to join the names of his best friend and himself.  Unfortunately Eric only lived 2 days.

Arthur was fortunate during the depression years of the 20s and 30s for at the time they were living in Tailem Bend working for the railways.  He also did butchering for the local butcher, Mr Pont, for which he was paid in meat.  A friend from the railways, the head of the Martin family from Scotland had lost his job and as the Martins had no family in Australia the Taylors put them up in their house; 4 adults and 4 children.  The 2 surviving Taylor children sleeping in the lounge room, one either side of the fire place. 

Arthur transferred to Adelaide with the railways in 1941 where he remainded until retirement.   He died suddenly on 15 April 1966, the 45th birthday of his daughter, Grace Kentish.