Mount (Mont) Alexander Taylor

Mount (Mont) Alexander Taylor

Ancestry .com
Personal Information
Date of Birth	27 May 1878
Place of Birth	Dublin, South Australia
Death	4 May 1963, age 84
Place of Death	Subiaco, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	37 years, 7 months
Description	5'7½" (1.71m) tall ; 145 lbs 65.771 kg ; fair complexion ; blue eyes ; dark hair
Occupation	Farmer
Religion	Church of England
Address	Forrest Dale, Jandakot, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Wife , Mrs Catherine Taylor
Military Information
Reg Number	260A
Date of Enlistment	24 February 1916
Rank	Lance Corporal
Unit/Formation	44th Battalion, B Company
Date of Embarkation	6 Jun 1916 ‒ 21 Jul 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A29 Suevic
Date of Return	9 Feb 1919 ‒ 17 Mar 1919
Ship Returned On	HMAT A11 Ascanius
Fate	Wounded in Action 13 Feb 1918 Returned to Australia
Monument	Kelmscott-Armadale Parish Roll of Honour
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Electoral Roll entries - 1903 Hale road Jandakot, bee keeper; 1906 farmer with Catherine who gives address as Jandakot Lake (Forrestdale Lake), 1910 East Jandakot; 1916 Commercial road, Jandakot Lake. Mont married Catharine Symonds on 5 Jun 1902 in Bunbury. Children were Clara Jane (b.1902 - d.1902); Montague Cecil (b.1903 - d.1992); Katherine Clara (b.1905 - d.2004); Gwendoline Elizabeth(b.1907 - d.1970); Marguarite Alexander (b.1909 - d.1989); son, name and details not known. Catharine died 1973.

War Service

Entered the Claremont training camp where a fortnight later on 3 Mar 1916 he was allocated to 'B' Company 44th Battalion and following some formative work in Australia they sailed for the UK, departing Fremantle on 9 Feb 1916 aboard HMAT A29 Suevic. The voyage to England was via Durban (21 Jun 1916), Cape Town (22 - 27 Jun 1917), and St Vincent (11 - 13 July) before arriving in Devonport where they entrained for the Salisbury Plains, arriving there 6½ hours later. Two soldiers died during the sea voyage. Arriving in England Mont was sent to the 3rd Training Battalion to prepare for France.

Mont's records do not mention his first journey to France, but do note that he was sent back to England on 5 Sep 1916 when he was embarked on HMHS St Patrick and admitted to 3rd London General Hospital from 6 Sep - 6 Oct 1916. Mont proceeded to France again the next day after being discharged from hospital (8 Oct 1916), and then entered the 1st Division's Base Depot in Étaples on 9 Oct 1916. It appears that at this point he had become a member of the 11th Battalion's reinforcement train, rather than remain a part of the 44th Battalion. However, on 18 Oct 1916 he was again reallocated, this time to the 51st Battalion's reinforcements and he joined them in the field on 20 Oct 1916.

Mont was hospitalised again from 2 Dec 1916 until 28 Jan 1917, this time with bronchitis. This period included time in the 12th General Hospital in Rouen (14-30 Dec 1916) after being treated by 5th Field Ambulance and the 38th Casualty Clearing Station. On 30 Dec 1916 he was admitted to the 2nd Convalescent Depot, and then released to the 4th Division Base Depot on 11 Jan 1917. Returned to his unit on 28 Jan 1917, he was appointed Lance Corporal on 18 May 1917. On 14 Aug 1917 Mont reverted to the ranks at his own request following being charged and found guilty of Neglect to the prejudice of good order and military discipline in late July. Mont was again admitted to hospital, this time the 53rd General Hospital in Boulogne with exhaustion from 13 Oct to 2 Nov 1917.

In January 1918 he was detached to the 4th Division Pack Troop for 10 days. Wounded in Action on 13 Feb 1918 as the battalion relieved the 42nd Battalion, he remained on duty so the injury must have been slight. From 25 Sep - 11 Oct 1918 he was granted leave in England and soon after he returned to his unit he was ill with influenza, being treated first by the 13th Field Ambulance on 10 Nov 1918, and then by the 41st Stationary Hospital, and the 10th General Hospital in Rouen from the 14 Nov 1918 until he was released to a Convalescent Depot on 17 Nov 1918. Recovered, he was reclassified and transferred to England from Le Havre, arriving in Southampton on 14 Jan 1919 where he was sent on to Sutton Veny. On 9 Feb 1919 Mont boarded HMAT A11 Ascanius for Australia where he was discharged by the 5th Military District on 3 May 1919 having arrived back in Australia on 24 March.

Post War

Electoral Roll entries - 1919 at 51 Thomas street South Fremantle, plumber; 1922 - 1958 at 31 Petra street ;1963 at 14 Hapgood street, Fremantle. Catherine died 3 Nov 1973 in East Fremantle, aged 91.

Notes

Wife moved to South Fremantle during January 1917.

External Links

• AIF Project
• RSL Virtual War Memorial