Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Frederick Lewis Taylor, Fred, was born on 29th June 1882 at Brisbane QLD, the 4th eldest of 8 children born to his parents Frederick and Eliza Taylor.  His older siblings were John (stillborn), Mabel and Bertie with younger siblings Eliza (died in infancy), Reginald, Ferdinand and Wilfred.   Fred’s occupation was a draper and on 4th April 1907 he married Jean Richmond Gibson in Queensland.  They welcomed 6 children…Mabel 1908, John 1909, Beryl 1912, Hazel 1913, Frederick 1919 and Joyce 1923. 

Fred was living at Wooloowin, Brisbane, QLD when he enlisted in the AIF on 18th August 1914 at Brisbane aged 32.  He’s described as being 5ft 6ins tall with a fair complexion, grey eyes and reddish hair.  His service number was 57, his rank Private and he was assigned to the 3rd Field Ambulance, A Section. 

Having completed his training at Enoggera Camp in Brisbane, Fred and the 3rd Field Ambulance (3rd FA) embarked from Brisbane on 25th September 1914 on HMAT Rangatira and sailed with the first convoy from Albany WA on 1st November 1914.  He arrived in Alexandria Egypt on 9th December and proceeded to Mena Camp just outside Cairo.  He remained there till 3rd March 1915 when he, together with the 3rd FA, embarked from Alexandria on HMAT Malda, anchoring in Mudros Bay off Lemnos Island 3 days later.  A month later, in preparation for the landings on the Gallipoli Peninsula, the Bearer Division of the 3rd FA with 3 Officers…Captains Conrick, (A Section), Fry (B Section) and McWhae (C Section)…plus 114 ranks, transhipped to HMT Ionian.  On the 19th April they transhipped to HMT Suffolk then on the 21st, Captain Conrick fell ill so Captain Buchanan replaced him to take command of A Section.  On the 24th April the unit transhipped to the HMAT Devanha and then to the Destroyer HMS Ribble which arrived off shore of Anzac Cove in the early hours of the 25th.  The unit disembarked into row boats and went ashore under heavy fire at 4.30am with the first wave landing just north of Anzac Cove.  The following is a quote of Captain Buchanan’s from an article called “The Landing”: 

“I don’t know what it was, shrapnel, maxim or rifle fire - I was frightened to look, but I was never so frightened in my life as when I had to stand up in the bow to dominate the men (to keep rowing)... I could feel the damned things hitting me all the time in my imagination, while we couldn’t see the other boats for the spouts of spray all around, and the men hit yelped and then whined and clawed the air as they died.”

Fred was wounded by gunshot in the right buttock on 21st June 1915, evacuated from Gallipoli and admitted to 1st Australian General Hospital (1AGH) at Heliopolis, Egypt 6 days later.  A month later he was transferred to the Military Hospital at the Ras el Tin Barracks at Alexandria then transferred to the Convalescent Depot at Mustapha, Alexandria, on 1st August 1915.  He embarked from Alexandria on 10th August 1915 on HMT Cawdor Castle and re-joined his unit at Gallipoli on 15th August 1915.  Fred was promoted to Lance Corporal on 19th October 1915 and remained at Gallipoli until being evacuated with the troops on 23rd December 1915 on HMT Caledonia.  He disembarked at Alexandria 4 days later and proceeded to Tel-el-Kebir Camp. 

Fred was appointed Temporary Corporal from 1st to 28th January 1916 then on 27th March 1916 he, together with the whole 3rd FA, embarked from Alexandria for France on HMT Kingstonian.  He disembarked at Marseilles, France, on 3rd April 1916.  In mid-May 1916 he was appointed Acting Sergeant then was promoted to Corporal on 25th May 1916.  In early August 1916 he was appointed Temporary Sergeant then the next day was promoted to Staff Sergeant with nursing duties.  Fred transferred to the 2nd AGH at Wimereux in late June 1916. 

In late September 1917 he proceeded from France to the AIF Headquarters In London England then to the AMC Training Depot at Parkhouse Camp at Tidworth on the Salisbury Plain.  In late November he proceeded to the No. 2 Command Depot at Monte Video Camp at Weymouth.  He embarked from there for return to Australia on 21st December 1917 HMAT Persic with nursing duties on the return journey.  He disembarked at Melbourne VIC on 3rd January 1918, transhipped to HMAT Ormonde for Sydney and then by train to Brisbane QLD.  He was discharged from the service on 14th March 1918. 

Fred passed away at Sydney Hospital NSW on 14th July 1941 aged 59 from injuries received from a fall down a flight of stairs. 

Frederick Lewis Taylor was awarded for service in WW1 the 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal and the Anzac Commemorative Medallion.   

Respectfully submitted by Sue Smith 10th March 2023.