The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Taylor
- First Name:
- John Alexander
- Nick Name:
- Jack and/or Squizzy
- Rank:
- Private
- Regimental #:
- WX4986
- Classification:
- Driver
- Company:
- ‘B’ Company Headquarters
- Enlisted:
- 23.07.1940
- Discharged:
- 30.11.1945
- DOB:
- 3.08.1914
- Place of Birth:
- Greenbushes, Western Australia
- Father's Name:
- George Taylor
- Mothers's Name:
- Florence Victoria Pearl Taylor
- Religion:
- Church of England
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Butcher
- Singapore:
- Selarang Camp Changi
- Force:
- Japan 'B' Party, Korea
- POW#:
- 336 & 520
- Return Details 1945:
- Konan‐Jinsen by train, USS Mercy 11 (hospital ship), Jinsen-Manilla, HMS Colossus, Manila-Morotai-Darwin, PBY Catalina aircraft A24‐377, Darwin-Perth by aircraft.
General Description
Soldier was sent via Japan ‘B’ Party Korea, firstly to Keijo (blast furnace 25/9/1942-13/9/1943) followed by Konan (warehouse 14/9/1943-21/9/1945) from where he was recovered.
Members of 8th Platoon From rear left R E Carruthers, D N Russell, G H Edwards, J A Taylor (A Coy HQ) and L H Lee.
Jack Taylor enlisted at Claremont with his mate ‘Blue’ Ernest Edgar Hambley who was issued with number WX4991. Their friendship continued throughout the war and later the two men became business partners – Hambley & Taylor, Grocers. They later developed a co-op with other independent grocers and the Foodland chain was developed. They had 3 shops, the first, largest and most successful continued to exist in 2015, owned by Blue’s son Alwyn.
Jack Taylor passed away Anzac Day, 25 April 1980 aged 56 years. His devoted wife Dot passed away 22 June 2012. Jack Taylor and Jessie Dorothy ‘Dot’ Strang married at St Andrews Church, Adelaide Tce, Perth on 15 December 1945.
Sadly Jack developed alzheimers and spent his final days at Lemnos Hospital where his wife and family visited daily to feed and tend to him. Several 2/4th mates visited Jack regularly.
Read further – Korea – Destination for Ted Roots, Jack Taylor, Jim Clancy, Bill Gray and Hubert ‘Dutchy’ Holland.
Read Jack’s affidavit prepared for War Crimes Commission re the beating of Private Arthur Clarke by Lieutenant Tenada, Taylor v Tenada.
Height 5′ 7″
Printed Western Mail Perth 3 January, 1946.
Camp Locations:
- Selarang Camp Changi - Singapore
- Keijo - Korea ***
- Konan - Korea
