Service: Air Force 1st Squadron and 102 Squadron
Service number: 409254
Locality on Enlistment:
Duration of Service: 20 Jul 1941 – 31 Oct 1945
Prisoner of War: No
Honours: None to display
Date and Place of Birth: 23 Sep 1922 Colac
Parents: Oswald TAYLOR and Agnes Elizabeth JACOBSON
Spouse: Frances Beryl McKENZIE
School/s: Dreeite South SS and Wool Wool SS
Occupation: Farmer
Date and Place of Death: 16 Dec 1997 Warrnambool
Place of Burial: Colac Cemetery
NOTES:
Harold was born the eldest son of dairy farmers on a soldier settlement block at Dreeite South. He enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force in Melbourne on 20th July 1941 as an Air Crew Volunteer and was trained as an aircraft gunner. On 21st March 1942 he was re-mustered to the Driver Mechanic Motor Transport division and posted to Darwin soon after. He was in Darwin during the Japanese air raids. In late 1942 he was deployed to Point Cook Flying Training School and then later to the Engineering School at Carlton. He was made a corporal in April 1944. On 31st May 1945 he was transferred to the 102 (liberator) Squadron at Cecil Plains in Queensland, where he was in training for overseas bombing missions (reportedly an attack on Japan). He was discharged on 31st October 1945 after hostilities ceased.
Harold married Frances Beryl McKenzie on 13th April 1943 at Warrion Presbyterian Church. After the War, they became farmers at South Purrumbete. He died on 16th December 1997 at Warrnembool and is buried in Colac Lawn Cemetery.