Grevillea Rose Garden,
Springvale Botanical Cemetery,
Springvale,
Victoria

No.628  Leslie Gordon Taylor
Leslie Taylor was born in Marysville, Victoria in 1892 to Alexander William Taylor and Alice Ada Barton. His parents had 4 children:

• George Cyril Percival Taylor – born 1890
• Leslie Gordon Taylor – born 1892 (AIF 628)
• Norman Alexander Taylor – born 1894 (AIF 1621)
• Victor Barton Taylor – born 1898 (AIF 35037)

Alexander and Alice moved from the Healesville/Marysville area to Werribee. Alexander worked at the Metropolitan Farm in the area.

In 1914, Leslie's parents left Werribee due to his father’s health reasons, having lived in Werribee for 15 to 16 years.

War Service
Leslie enlisted in the Australian Infantry Forces at Broadmeadows, Melbourne on 15 February 1915. He joined as an Acting Sergeant and remained at the depot in Melbourne for four months before joining his unit, the 4th Light Horse Brigade, 13th Light Horse Regiment, 1st Reinforcement.
[The Nominal Roll for the 4th Light Horse Brigade, 13th Light Horse regiment list his rank as Acting Sargeant.]

He embarked at Sydney on A40 Ceramic on 25 June 1915. Taken on strength at his Regiment on 3 November 1915 at Gallipoli Peninsula. On joining his regiment he lost his stripes.
The Argus, 25 December 1915, p.9.

On 30 November 1915, he was wounded in the leg at Gallipoli Peninsula and was taken to hospital. On 1 December 1915, as the result of a shrapnel wound to right leg in action at Gallipoli, he embarked from Gallipoli Peninsula on the Hospital Ship Dongola.

He disembarked in Alexandria on 4 December 1915. On 5 December 1915, he was admitted, as Sgt. L.G. Taylor, to 1st Australian General Hospital, Heliopolis. He was listed as Dangerously ill (Typhoid) at 1st Australian General Hospital Heliopolis on 20 December 1915.  By 8 January 1916, he was out of danger in 1st Australian General Hospital, Cario.

On 28 February 1916, he was transferred to the Military Infirmary Hospital, Choubra, Cairo, Egypt with enteric fever, a form of blood poisoning. It manifested in patients as headache, abdominal pain, diarrhea, body aches in back, limbs, and joints, and shivering, and fevers lasting anywhere from one to eight weeks.  This was a less severe infection than true typhoid and had a lesser morbidity, though could still lead to death from pneumonia or toxemia.

On 14 March 1916, Leslie was admitted to 3rd Auxiliary Hospital, with Bullet wound to leg. This hospital, located in Dartford, England, grew to 1400 beds and was for the treatment of war-related nerves and neuroses.  On 27 March 1916, he was admitted to No 1 Auxiliary Hospital. The No. 1 Australian Auxiliary Hospital was situated at Harefield Park in Harefield, Middlesex, and was used as a home for convalescent wounded soldiers

On 11 April 1916, Leslie was Invalided to Australia with Gun Shot Wound to the Leg. He arrived back in Australia on Karoola on 12 May 1916, for six months change ex Suez.

Leslie was Medically Discharged unfit for active service on 26 August 1916.

Post War
Leslie purchased land under the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act 1916 about 50 acres around Dandenong for Dairy Farming on 20 November 1916.

On 7 February 1919, he married Alice Sarah Dugdale – daughter of Mr and Mrs Robert H. Dugdale of “Cholderton”, Bacchus Marsh. They were married in the Holy Trinity Church, Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. His brother, Private Norman Taylor attended the wedding after only just arriving back from active service.
Werribee Shire Banner, 6 March 1919, p.3.

They had two children, Lawrence Robert Taylor and a daughter.

Alice passed away on 6 May 1940 at Dandenong, Victoria, Australia.
The Argus, 8 May 1940, p.3.

Australian Electoral Rolls have Leslie living in Flinders, Dandenong from 1919 to 1942.

In 1948, he married Jean Adellah Fraser.
Census records from 1949 have Leslie, Jean, Lawrence and his mother, Alice, living at 172 Foster Street, La Trobe Dandenong.

In 1955, Leslie went overseas with Jean to London, England. They were aboard the Iberia, arriving on the 6 March 1955 at London. They stayed at The Cumberland Hotel London and were away for about six months.

On 18 July 1962, Leslie passed away at the Dandenong Hospital, David Street, Dandenong, Victoria.
(Reg No 13741)

Leslie Gordon Taylor was cremated at the Springvale Botanical Cemetery, Grevillea Rose Garden, Springvale, Victoria (Grevillea, Garden 1, Bed F, Rose 08).

Medals & Entitlements:

• 1914/15 Star
• British War Medal
• Victory Medal
  
  
  

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AIF Project
https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=296171