| Regimental number | 407 |
| Place of birth | South Melbourne, Victoria |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Occupation | Labourer |
| Address | Silver Street, Cheltenham |
| Marital status | Single |
| Age at embarkation | 21 |
| Height | 5' 7.5" |
| Weight | 131 lbs |
| Next of kin | W Taylor, Silver Street, Cheltenham |
| Previous military service | Nil |
| Enlistment date | |
| Place of enlistment | Melbourne, Victoria |
| Rank on enlistment | Private |
| Unit name | 29th Battalion, A Company |
| AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/46/1 |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A11 Ascanius on |
| Rank from Nominal Roll | Private |
| Unit from Nominal Roll | 29th Battalion |
| Other details from Roll of Honour Circular | Enlisted 10 July 1915. Taken on strength, 29th Bn, 15 October 1915. |
| Fate | Killed in Action |
| Place of death or wounding | Fromelles, France |
| Age at death | 22.6 |
| Age at death from cemetery records | 22 |
| Place of burial | No known grave |
| Commemoration details | V.C. Corner (Panel No 1), Australian Cemetery, Fromelles, France |
| Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 116 |
| Other details |
War service: Egypt, Western Front Embarked Melbourne, 10 November 1915; disembarked Suez, 7 December 1915. Admitted to No 8 Field Ambulance, Ferry Post, 8 April 1916; discharged to, and rejoined unit, 19 April 1916. Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 16 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916. Posted missing in action, 19/20 July 1916. Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 23 August 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 20 July 1916'. Note on B.103: 'Believed buried in vicinity of Fleurbaix, Sh.36. Note on Red Cross File No 2700901: 'No trace Germany[.] Cert. by Capt. Mills. 10.10.19.' Statement, 349 Pte W.T. THOMSON, A Company, 29th Bn (patient, No 2 General Hospital, France), 1 December 1916: 'I saw Taylor hit in the stomach by rifle bullet. He seemed bad. I helped to take off his equipment and gave him a drink of water. I never saw him after. This was at the storming of Fromelles. We had shoved the Germans out of their first line and remained in them all night but retired at dawn. Taylor got hit about 10 p.m.' Second statement, 337 Sergeant C.B. SCOTT, A Company, 29th Bn, 11 December 1916: 'I saw him killed in the charge at Fleurbaix on July 19th. by machine gun fire. Pte. R.G. Binder, II Pl. A. Co., was alongside him. Binder came on. I looked back. Taylor was lying on the ground. Binder told me he was dead.' Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal |
| Sources | NAA: B2455, TAYLOR John Michael
Red Cross file 2700901 |