LEATHERHEAD WAR MEMORIALS - WWI
Private William J Taylor
6 Bn Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry
Cap
Badge
Taken, Not Given, Liam Sumption, L&DLHS
Pte William J Taylor
1st [sic] Ox & Bucks L.I.
France
July 1 1917 [sic]
Again the War Memorial is an error regarding two material particulars.
The records of the 'Ox and Bucks' state that William Taylor was killed in
action on 7 January 1917. Possibly the dates were transposed.
Additionally he was serving in the 8th Bn. and not the 1st. (1) [CWGC
stays 6th]
The 8th was a Pioneer Battalion. (2) The reference in the Public Record
Office for the battalion's War Diary is W095–4866.
Notes on sources
1. Soldiers Who Died in the Great War (Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire
Light Infantry) – Imperial War Museum, Lambeth.
2. WO95 – Supplementary Guide– Public Record Office, Richmond, Kew.
Further research
Private
TAYLOR, W
Service Number 8388
Died 07/01/1917
6th Bn. Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry
Buried at GUARDS'
CEMETERY, COMBLES
Location: Somme, France
Cemetery/memorial reference: I. B. 5a.
|
Leatherhead & Dorking Advertiser 26 June 1915 |
William was a Light Bob. That was a nickname for
the British Light infantry, first used during the American Wars of
independence, and commonly applied to the Light Division during
the Napoleonic wars, and a nickname for the 52nd (Oxfordshire)
Regiment of Foot, the forerunner of the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry.
The 6th Battalion's War Diary records for December 1916
and January 1917:
1916 December
On the 10th the Battalion moved from Mansell Camp to Guillemont, and went
into the trenches until the 15th, when it moved back to Carnoy.
It had one more tour of the same trenches, and spent the remainder of the
month at Meaulte training.
Five men were wounded in December, and about 140 were admitted to Field
Ambulance suffering from "trench-foot."
1917 January.
Marching to dug-outs in the vicinity of Bouleaux Wood on the 1st, the
Battalion moved up into the line next day, and remained in the trenches
until the 4th, when it went back to Bronfay Camp.
Three further tours in the same
trenches, alternating with rest periods at Bronfay, were carried out, and
the Battalion then marched to Meaulte for training.
Casualties. 2 men killed and 19 wounded. [source: Light
Bobs website]
One of the two killed was William.
Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser
Saturday 10 February 1917
OXFORD AND BUCKS LI
Killed
8388 Pte W Taylor (Reigate)
Dorking and Leatherhead
Advertiser
Saturday 17 February 1917
PTE.
W. TAYLOR
Mr. and Mrs. Taylor, of Woodbridge, Leatherhead, have received
official notification that their son, Pte. W. Taylor, of the Oxford
and Bucks Light Infantry, was killed in action in France on January
7th. Pte. Taylor joined the Army in 1907, and was for over eight
years in India. From there went to the Persian Gulf, and was wounded
a few hours before General Townshend’s surrender at Kut. He was
invalided home in June, and went out to France in December of last
year, being killed just a month later.
In May last Mr. and Mrs. Taylor lost another son in
France, Pte. F. B. Taylor, who joined the Royal Fusiliers in
Sept., 1914, being killed on May 24th. They still have four sons
and a son-in-law serving with the Forces: Pte. J. Taylor, of the
West Surreys; Pte. A. Taylor, of the Royal Fusiliers, and Pte. A.
H. Thorpe, of the A.S.C.. being in France at the present time.
Pte. A. Taylor, who was severely wounded last year, is again in
training, and Pte. P. Taylor, who joined the Royal Sussex, in
December last, is also in training.
|
|
Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser
Saturday 29 December 1917
The list which present has been
compiled from the names that have been recorded in our Columns during the
past year....
JANUARY
TAYLOR, Pte W., Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, son Mr. and Mrs. Taylor,
Woodbridge. Leatherhead.
His life
For his genealogy see The
Taylor Family
He married Ivy
Florence Dulake on 12 August 1916 at St
Mary's, the Parish Church of Reigate, Surrey:
William James Taylor - 28 - Bachelor - Private Ox & Bucks Regt -
Woodbridge Cottages, Kingston Road, Leatherhead
Father - Frederick Benjamin Taylor, Bricklayer
Ivy Florence Dulake - 19 - Spinster - 7 Nutley Lane, Reigate
Father - George Dulake (Deceased) - Labourer
Ivy was born on 20 May 1897 and baptised on 27 June 1897 at All Saints,
Warlingham, Surrey. She was a daughter of George Dulake, then a Carter,
and Rose Flint. In the 1911 Census she was a General Domestic Servant in
Redhill.
After the war
There is a Probate record for Ivy Florence Taylor of 78 Cardinal Avenue,
Kingston-on-Thames, died 31 March 1994
Link: Guards
Cemetery, Combles
the website editor would like to add
further information on this casualty
eg a photo of his headstone and of any recollections within
his family
last updated 11 Aug 20: 1 Jan 21