In February 1916, Patrick Gordon (“Bill”) Taylor had been stationed at the AIF Liverpool training camps for over a month. Like other lads his age, he had been caught up in the enthusiasm. None of them wanted miss out on the opportunity. This was to be the greatest adventure of their generation. Or so they thought..

Liverpool camp, October 1916. (Image: AWM C01206)

But camp life at Liverpool was to fall short of expectations for both this 18 year old, wide-eyed, 2nd lieutenant from Raglan St., Mosman…

Smith’s Weekly, 1 December 1923, p. 26

‘Most Expensive Airman of the A.I.F.’ said popular tabloid Smith’s Weekly in 1923.

Mosman pilot Eric Dibbs reckoned he’d crashed 13 aircraft in his time with the flying corps. If the tale is a little tall in the retelling, who can begrudge a man who made it back from the Western Front?

He wasn’t an ace but took his chances over the trenches — and won.

While this book isn’t about the First World War it is a fascinating story about espionage in Mosman and the Second World War and may be of interest. In 1938 Swiss born Annette Wagner travelled to Australia from Madagascar and in no time had her own radio show where she was able to send coded messages

More Information

Hitler’s Lost Spy: Mosman’s Nazi Spy

Since it’s launch in 2012 Doing Our Bit: Mosman 1914-1918 has enabled the community to contribute stories, information and images of Mosman First World War servicemen and servicewomen.

Charles Ulm with his mother and father, 1914

One hundred years ago, today, a 15 year old Mosman boy signed up for the A.I.F. It was the start of an adventure that would make him a household name.