Ernest Archibald Taylor

Private, Australian Imperial Force

Age 13, Class IV D: 'Conduct very good.'

Ernest Archibald Taylor was a student at Alleyn’s until 1907. He had hazel eyes, brown hair and a height of 5ft 9inches. During his school years, he lived at 109 Lordship Lane, East Dulwich with his brother, Sydney, and his father, James. In 1909, he decided to move from England to Queensland, Australia where he later found work as a fruit farmer. Ernest was still living in Australia when war broke out in August 1914. Soon after, he decided to join the war effort and quickly signed up as part of the Australian Imperial Force. After receiving training, he embarked with the AIF for the Gallipoli Peninsula where the Dardanelles Campaign was being fought by the Allies against the Turkish Forces. The Gallipoli peninsula was known for its deadly terrain and extreme weather which made conditions almost unbearable for the men. During his time at Gallipoli, Ernest was hospitalised four times; once for a gunshot wound to his left shoulder, twice for general sickness and once for suffering deafness in his left ear and shell shock. The latter illness resulted in him being returned to England where he was regarded as medically unfit for service and sent home to Australia. For his services in the war he received the 1914-15 Star, the General Service Medal and the Victory Medal.