Colin Ernest Taylor
Colin Ernest Taylor

In Memory of

Corporal

Colin Ernest Taylor

NX108993 2nd/12th Australian Infantry Battalion
who died age 25
on 01 January 1943

Son of Ernest Baldwin Taylor and Olive Taylor, of Bardon, Queensland, Australia

Remembered with honour
Port Moresby Memorial, Papua New Guinea

Colin Ernest Taylor

Corporal Colin Ernest Taylor, the son of Ernest Baldwin Taylor and Olive Taylor (nee Kingston), was born at Toowoomba in Queensland on 10th April 1917.  He was educated at the Toowoomba Grammar School.  At the age of 23 years and 4 months he was mobilized into the Australian Military Force at Lismore in New South Wales on 7th August 1940 after swearing the statutory oath of allegiance.  At the time of his mobilization he was single and employed as a Bank Officer with the Union Bank in Lismore.  He gave his next of kin as his father, Mr E.B. Taylor, residing at 20 Accession Street, Bardon, Brisbane.  He stated that he was of the Church of England religion.  He was allotted the regimental number of N22678.

Corporal Colin Taylor was called up for full-time duty and allocated to the 41st Infantry Battalion at Greta Camp on 17th December 1941.  Whilst training at Greta Camp he was appointed to the rank of Acting Corporal on 13th February 1942.  He was detached for duty with the 1st Australian Infantry Brigade Cadre at Raymond Terrace on 3rd June 1941 and he rejoined the 41st Infantry Battalion on 17th June 1942.  He was detached for duty with the 2nd Australian Corps Weapon Training Wing on 7th July 1942 and he rejoined his battalion on 17th August 1942.

Corporal Colin Taylor voluntarily enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 18th August 1942 and he was allotted the new regimental number of NX108993.  He was detached for duty with the 1st Australian Infantry Brigade General Infantry School on 9th September 1942 and rejoined his battalion on 23rd September 1942.  His acting rank of Corporal was confirmed on 23rd October 1942.  He was transferred to the 1st Australian Division Concentration Group on 2nd November 1942.  He was transferred to the Infantry Reinforcements New Guinea Force on 24th November 1942.  He embarked for service in Papua New Guinea on 24th November 1942 and he disembarked at Milne Bay.  He joined the 2nd/12th Infantry Battalion from the Milne Bay Reception Camp on 6th December 1942.  He was killed in action on 1st January 1943 whilst serving with the 2nd/12th Infantry Battalion during the attack at on Giropa Point, Buna.  The attack by the 2nd/12th Battalion resulted in 63 of its members being killed and 122 wounded.  At the time of his death Colin Taylor was 25 years of age. He was buried in the Buna Mission area.  His remains were never recovered therefore his name appears on the Port Moresby Memorial to the Missing.

Corporal Colin Taylor’s name is commemorated on Panel No. 36 at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra and locally on the Toowoomba Grammar School World War 2 Honour Board.  For his service during World War 2 he had entitlement for the 1939/1945 Star, the Pacific Star, the War Medal and the Australian Service Medal 1939/1945.

Australian War Memorial photograph 014035 Soldiers of the 2nd/12th Battalion stand by as a tank blasts Japanese pillboxes at Giropa Point.

 

Australian War Memorial photograph 014037 Australian Machine Gunners in action at Buna.  The photograph was taken during the fighting and shows a dead Australian of the crew lying on the left.

Toowoomba Grammar School archive records show that he enrolled as a day student on 28th January 1931 and he left the School on 6th February 1933.  His parent was shown as Mr E.B. Taylor of Toowoomba.  He passed the Junior examination in seven subjects.

 

External Links

Military Record

CWGC

Australian War Memorial Honour Roll


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