Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Born 28 September 1893 at Mildura, Victoria.

Father William Henry Taylour and Mother Emily (daughter of William Edmund Hunter and Mary Elizabeth - nee Billington) Taylour. 
Siblings:
His sister Dorothy Alma was born in Mildura, Victoria in 1895
Brother Eric Lyell in 1897. 
Cecil Ewart was born 1898 in Lyell, Tasmania
Brother Arthur William was born in Strahan, Tasmania in 1902
Merion Darwin, born 1908
Clive Huxley, 1910, were both born in Queenstown, Tasmania
The birth places of Clarence and Gertrude are not known at this stage.

Harold signed the ‘Attestation Paper of Persons Enlisted for Service Abroad’ and the Oath to ‘well and truly serve’ on 23 September 1916 aged 22 years and 11 months.  A Mining Engineer by trade he was living at Caulfield, Melbourne.  He named as his Next-of-Kin his father William H Taylour of Inkerman Road, Caulfield, Melbourne, Victoria.

Harold stated he was qualified as a Metallurgical, Chemical, Mining and Railway Engineer and Surveyor.

He was 5 ft 7¾ins tall and weighed 144 lbs.  He had a fresh complexion, blue eyes and brown hair.  A medical examination found him to be ‘fit for active service’ and he was appointed to the 7th Reinforcements to the 2nd Pioneer Battalion on 3 October.

Harold had his final leave from 4 to 9 November 1916.  On 16 November he was transferred to the Engineer Reinforcements at Seymour, Victoria.  On 25 November he was transferred to 2nd Military District at Moore Park, Sydney, where he attended the Non-Commissioned Officers School.

He was sent to the Engineer Officers Training School, Roseville in February 1917 and passed the examinations on completion of the course with good results.  He was promoted to Acting Corporal on 15 February, and Acting Sergeant on 8 March.  In April 1917 he was with the Tunnelling Reinforcements as Acting Sergeant.

He joined ‘B’ Company Tunnellers on 2 August and was appointed ‘Voyage Only’ Sergeant on 6 August.

Harold embarked at Sydney on HMAT A68 Anchises, which departed Sydney on 8 August 1917.  After 55 days and stops at Colon, Panama and Halifax, Nova Scotia, the 168 Tunnellers on board disembarked at Liverpool, England on 24 October and entrained for the Tidworth camps.

During the voyage Harold was severely reprimanded on 3 September for neglecting to obey orders.

He reverted to Sapper rank on 3 October and was immediately appointed to E.D.P. Sergeant on the same day and marched in to Tunnelling Company Details at Nos. 1&3 Camps, Parkhouse.

He again reverted to Sapper rank on 14 November and proceeded overseas to France on the same day.  He marched in to the 1st Anzac Corps Depot and was appointed E.D.P. Sergeant on 25 November. 

On 18 December he was taken on strength of the 3rd Australian Tunnelling Company (3ATC) and again reverted to Sapper rank.

He was promoted to Temporary Second Corporal on 7 February 1918 and Acting Sergeant on 17 March 1918.

In his recommendation for Harold to attend the Engineer Officers Cadet Unit, the O.C. 3ATC, Major Alexander Sanderson remarked: “This N.C.O. attended the Engineer Officers Training School, Roseville, N.S.W., and passed the examination on completion of the course with good results.  He acted as Sergeant in charge of reinforcements until joining this unit and has since done excellent work in the front line.  I would be glad to have him as an officer in this unit.”

The recommendation recorded that Harold had been educated at Caulfield Grammar School, Victoria and the Zeehan School of Mines, Tasmania; that he held a 1st Class Mining Managers Certificate and 1st Class Certificate in Metallurgy and that he had 4 years experience in Railway and Road surveys and construction and 2 years general mining.

On 14 September 1918 Harold was again recommended for a vacancy at the Engineer Officers Cadet Unit by the now C.O. 3ATC, Major Alexander Sanderson.

Sanderson wrote in the remarks section of this application: “Since joining this Unit A/Sergt. Taylour has carried out all the survey work required.  He is a good N.C.O. and a good leader.  I would be pleased to have him as an officer.”

Harold Taylors’ Surveyors notebook, currently in the Australian War Memorial, shows details of sections of the Hythe, Canteen and Vermelles Tunnels.

On 28 September he was detached to the Engineers Cadet School in England and was held supernumerary to 3ATCs establishment.

On 3 January he was appointed 2nd Lieutenant on probation and allotted to Australian Engineer Reinforcements.  He proceeded overseas to France on 21 January and marched in to the Australian General Base Depot at Havre, rejoining 3ATC on 1 February.

On 6 February 1919, 2/Lieut. Harold Taylour was taken on strength of the Company and posted to “B” Section for duty. 

He was promoted to Lieutenant on 3 April 1919.

Harold marched out of 3ATC on 6 May 1919 for return to Australia.  He was granted leave with pay and subsistence to undertake Non-military Employment from 19 May to 30 November 1919, studying Civil Engineering at Kings College and reporting to No.2 Group, Sutton Veny, for disposal on 3 December.

He returned to Australia on board Konigan Louise, leaving London on 10 December 1919 and disembarking in Australia on 4 February 1920.

His appointment as an officer in the A.I.F. was terminated on 25 July 1920.  Harold was entitled to wear the British War Medal and the Victory Medal, both of which he received in December 1922.

In 1925 Harold was living at 59 Bondi Road, Bondi.  In September 1925 his service history was provided to the War Service Homes Commission in Sydney.

The Electoral Rolls for 1930 record Harold Taylour, Elpaso, 22 Wentworth Street, Bellevue – Draftsman; and Sybil Slingsby Taylour, Home Duties.

Harold sailed for New Guinea on Thursday 24 April 1930 on board the Burns Philp liner Montoro.  He served as the Warden of Mines at Wau.  He returned to Sydney on Thursday 26 January 1933.

In 1933, the Prime Minister’s Department forwarded 2 copies of “The Development of Gold Mining in Morobe, New Guinea” by H. Taylour and I.W. Morley, officers of the New Guinea Administration, to the Official Secretary in Great Britain, Australia House, London.

The Secretary replied: ‘This publication is a valuable contribution to the available information concerning the goldfields of the Territory of New Guinea.’, and requested a further 10 copies be forwarded.

The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy advised that the copies could be provided for a total cost of £1-1-6 including postage to London or Canberra.

03/06/1982  Harold passed away

Submitted by Julianne T Ryan, courtesy of Donna Baldey. 28/03/2017.  Lest we forget.
Thank you Donna for your years of research.