Henry George Taylor

A Private with 13th Bn., Henry died on 16th of August 1917 at the age of 35.  

Henry, also known as Harry, was born at Thames Ditton on 23 December 1882, a son of Walter Peter and Mary Ann Taylor. He was baptised at Saint Nicholas' Church, Thames Ditton, on 28 January 1883. Note that his given names were George Henry. In 1891 his family lived at 7 South Bank, Long Ditton, Surrey. By 1901 they had moved to 183 Brompton Cottages, Long Ditton, and Henry worked as a groom - domestic.

By 1911 Henry was lodging at 107 Cambridge Road, Lowestoft, and he worked as a groom and a hotel.

On 23 April 1911 Henry married Ellen Maria Allen at Saint Margaret's Church, Lowestoft. Henry was working as a groom and living at 107 Cambridge Road and Ellen lived at Surbiton, Surrey. Later Ellen lived at 4 Old Market Street, Lowestoft.

Henry enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft. Initially he joined with the Suffolk Regiment, number 34347, and he served in France with the 2nd Battalion. At some point in 1916 or 1917 he was transferred to the Royal Irish Rifles and served with the 13th Battalion.

On 15 August 1917 the 13th Battalion moved into positions at Weiltje, Belgium, in preparation for an attack. At 4.45 a.m. in 17 August they advanced toward the Black Line and the Steenbeek Valley. They attacked under a heavy enemy barrage. By 6.30 a.m. men on the left of the attack were retiring. At 9.00 the Germans made a counter-attack and men of the 13th began to fall back. Heavy enemy shelling continued into the evening. At 9.50 p.m. the Battalion was relieved. The Battalion suffered 171 casualties during the attack. Henry was reported missing and later in was presumed that he had been killed in action on 16 August.