TAYLOR, Alfred Edward
| Service Number: | 3701 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 15 September 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 26th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Launceston, Tasmania, Australia, 7 July 1893 |
| Home Town: | Launceston, Launceston, Tasmania |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Motor mechanic |
| Died: | 13 June 1921, aged 27 years, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Carr Villa Memorial Park, Tasmania |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 15 Sep 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3701, 26th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Jan 1916: | Involvement Private, 3701, 26th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Afric embarkation_ship_number: A19 public_note: '' | |
| 5 Jan 1916: | Embarked Private, 3701, 26th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Afric, Melbourne |
Alfred Edward Taylor Jr
Pte Alfred Taylor, No. 3701, a boiler mechanic by trade, was the first of Alfred and Gertrude Taylor's sons to enlist (Edric and Francis were the other two). He joined the 26th Battalion on 15th September 1915, aged quoted as 23 years and 3 months, although he was actually 22 and 2 months. He arrived in France, via Egypt, on 27th of March 1916 and was taken on strength on the 25th of April.
The 26th Battalion mounted the first trench raid undertaken by Australian troops on the Western Front on 6th June, then fought in its first major battle around Pozieres between 28th July and 7th August. It was during this action on the 30th of July 1916 Alfred suffered a gunshot wound to his right arm and a severe abdomen wound, and was evacuated to the Etaples camp in France, then invalided to England in August.
By October he was granted furlough but in January 1917 he was charged for being AWOL from tattoo between 9th December 1916 till 4th January 1917 in Wareham and given 17 days detention and docked 41 day’s pay.
He re-joined the Battalion in March 31st at the Hindenburg Line, but four weeks later in April he was re-admitted to hospital suffering from the Spanish Flu. From this point forward he was moved between land and sea-based hospitals before finally returning to Australia in August and discharged on 22nd of December 1917.
Above facts from Alfred's service records.
He soon married Violet Sykes in February 1918 but, tragically, he died three years later in 1921 in hospital, at the age of 27. Their daughter Mavis was only 2 years old at the time.
By Andrew Walsh, great grand nephew, 2023
Submitted 23 May 2023 by Andrew Walsh
Biography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Alfred was one of three sons of Alfred Edward and Gertrude Sarah Taylor of Launceston, who enlisted for WW1.
Alfred was badly wounded at Pozieres on 29 July 1916, with gunshot wounds to his arm and abdomen. He was sent to hospital in England. He rejoined his battalion in France some 9 months later, but soon reported sick. He was diagnosed with valvular disease of the heart, returned to Australia and discharged from the AIF during December 1917.
His younger brother, 994 Private Frederick Henry Taylor, 40th Battalion AIF, died of wounds in France on 28 March 1918, age 20.
Alfred was married in February 1918 and he was the father to one daughter. He died of war wounds in a Launceston hospital on 13 June 1921, aged 27. His name is recorded on the Commonwealth War Graves dadabase but not on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll as the cut off date for entry was 31 March 1921.
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