The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Taylor
- First Name:
- James Templeton
- Rank:
- Sergeant
- Regimental #:
- WX4921
- Classification:
- Armourer
- Company:
- Attached to 2/4th, Australian Army Ordnance Corps
- Enlisted:
- 23.07.1940
- DOB:
- 12.11.1905
- Place of Birth:
- Dunkeld, Scotland
- Father's Name:
- James Templeton Taylor
- Mothers's Name:
- Catherine Taylor (nee McFarlane)
- Religion:
- Church of Scotland
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Truck Driver
- Memorial:
- Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery, Plot A13, Row A, Grave 19, Age 37.
- Singapore:
- Selarang Camp and Barracks Changi
- Force:
- ‘F’ Force Thailand
- POW#:
- 4/4598
- Cause of Death:
- Beri-Beri and Pneumonia
- Place of Death:
- Kami Sonkurai
- Date of Death:
- 11.07.1943
- Buried:
- No. 3 Cemetery, Grave No. 22, Kami Sonkurai.
General Description
Taylor enlisted July 1940. Sergeant Taylor was an armourer with Australian Army Ordinance Corps (as was WX15099 Sergeant C. T. Howe) and attached to 2/4th. He was sent to Royal Park, Victoria for training.
Taylor was selected with ‘F’ Force to work on the Burma-Thai Railway. Please read further about ‘F’ Force
He died of beri beri and pneumonia at Kami Sonkurai, aged 37 years. His body was later interred and laid to rest at Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery, Burma.
Below: Correspondence to his father from AIF.
James’ parents James Templeton (Snr) married 1902 Dunkeld, Scotland to Catherine McFarlane. It is unknown if there were other children. Catherine died in 1957 at Dunkleld and James (Snr) died Dunkeld in 1958 not long after receiving above correspondence.
James Taylor arrived 8 February 1927 from London on ‘Otranto’ aged 23 years. His occupation was recorded as ‘shepherd’.
In 1931 Electoral Roll James is recorded residing in Narrogin and working as a labourer.
James married in Sydney 8 January 1942 to ‘Phyllis Heffernan, Hairdresser of Paddington’.
Phyllis was born Phyllis Kathleen Sutton and her marriage to Taylor was her third.
It is sincerely hoped James Taylor never discovered the truth about his marriage and bride, and that he was able to dream whilst a POW of Japan, about a special person to come home to.
Height 5′ 6″
Camp Locations:
- Selarang Barracks Changi - Singapore
- Selarang Camp Changi - Singapore
- Kami Songkurai, 299k - Thailand
