Edward "Ted" Taylor . Army Rifle Brigade My father-in-law, Ted Taylor, survived the Battle of Calais in 1940 and spent the rest of the war as a POW. I am trying to put together his story from when he was deployed on 23rd May 1940 to the time he returned to England in May 1945.
I would love to hear from anyone who can help with this. Ted is now 90 and has just suffered a stroke leaving him unable to communicate clearly. Although we have a summary of his war I would like to write it up in more detail.
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LAC Edward Taylor . Royal Air Force from Swallow, Lincolnshire Edward Taylor was my father and served with the R A F in India in Hydrabad at the end of the Second World War.
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Bmbdr. Edward Albert Taylor . British Army 48th Regiment Royal Artillery from Liverpool Edward Taylor was held captive by the Japanese. While in captivity he worked as a pathological assistant for Dr. Dawson, examining slides under a microscope for dysentery and malaria. On board the Fellowship returning home he acted as a dental assistant for F/Lt. Frank Graham, despite suffering from repeated bouts of malaria.
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EJ Taylor . British Army 4/7th Dragoon Guards EJ Taylor served with the 4/7th Dragoon Guards British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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Pte. Elizabeth Archibald Banks Taylor . Auxiliary Territorial Service from Portobello, Scotland Betty Taylor was in the ATS stationed at HMS Brontosaurus (Castle Toward), the training facility in Scotland where many soldiers were sent to prepare for the D-Day landing.
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Elsie Taylor . Munitions Worker My mother Elsie Taylor worked at the Swynnerton Munitions Factory during WWII. She was a Swynnerton Rose.
She didn't say much about this time in her life but she did tell me that one day she was working and had to ask to go to the toilet(you had to ask). She went out of the hut and into the toilet block, as she sat there the earth shook, a terrible loud explosion rocked the block. She came out to dust clouds and panic.
When it cleared the hut she was just working in had gone, all the women in side had been blown up. She was reassigned to another block and she continued her work.
Air raids, explosions, disscoloured hands, hair, bodies, missing limbs or fingers... all a part of the life there.
These ladies need remembering and in 2013 a Labour MP started a group to this end.
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Ernest Lyndon Taylor . HMS Cossack (d.23rd October 1941) My father's brother Ernest Lyndon Taylor died on H.M.S. Cossack 23/10/1941. My father would like to get in contact with anybody who knew him
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Ernest Lyndon Taylor . HMS Cossack (d.23rd October 1941) My father's brother Ernest Lyndon Taylor died on H.M.S. Cossack 23/10/1941. My father would like to get in contact with anybody who knew him
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Evelyn Margaret Frances Taylor . Womens Land Army Timber Corps from Isleworth, London My Mum, Evelyn Taylor joined the Womens Land Army when she was 18, all I know about that time is that she was billetted in a family house in Bath and worked sometimes in Bath but also in Bristol. She did mention that she was in the Timber Corp group and learnt to drive a tractor and used to chop down trees. When she met my Dad during her time in Bristol, she had a patch over one eye and her arm in a sling, I think she may have fallen from the tractor but not sure as she is no longer around to ask.
I have two photo's of my Mum in her working uniform as well as one of her in a more official uniform. She also mentioned that she had a photograph taken for what she believed to be war time promotional footage but never got to see anything to do with that. I have looked at various websites with different stories from Land Army women but I haven't seen anything mentioned about the Timber Corp in Bath. I would love to hear from anyone who may have known my Mum or been stationed at the same place and get to hear their stories.
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S/L F V Taylor . RCAF 420 Squadron Wellington HE550 PT-G took off on April 14, 1943 at 2112 hours from Middleton St. George on a mission to Stuttgart. Homebound at 12,000 feet the plane was shot down by a Ju88 and crashed at Mesnil-St Laurent (Aisne), 5 km SE of St. Quentein, France. F/O Sydney Brown and P/O J A Simpson are buried in the churchyard at Mesnil-St Laurent. S/L F V Taylor and F/O G C Crowther bailed out and eventually returned to England. Sgt H N McKinnon was taken prisoner and was eventually repatriated.
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F Taylor . British Army F Taylor served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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Marine. Fletcher Clare Taylor . Royal Navy HMS President III Royal Marines (d.26th May 1940) Fletcher Taylor died by drowning in Pictou Harbour, details are from his death certificate.
He is buried in Seaview Cemetery, Pictou, Nova Scotia, Canada
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Sgt. Francis James Taylor . RAF(VR) flight eng. 103 Sqd. from Bolton, Lancashire (d.20th Feb 1944)
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Gnr. Frank Woffenden Taylor . British Army 197th AA Bty. Royal Artillary from Barnsley, South Yorkshire Frank Taylor served during WWII, being captured by German forces in 1942 in Tobruk, Africa. He was taken to Gulag IV D (via other locations) until liberation. I have acquired several extremely interesting documents including service record, 2 POW newsletters, a Gulag IV D bandage, photographs and an account of his time during this period. Any comments or information would be appreciated, I am his grandson.
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L/Cpl. Frank Verdun Taylor . British Army Reconnaissance Corps from Shiremoor, Durham L/Cpl.Frank Verdun Taylor served with the Reconnaissance Corps British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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AC1. Freddie Taylor . Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 84th Sqd. from Hindhead, Surrey (d.24th Nov 1943) Aircraftman 1st Class Freddie Taylor died on 24th November 1943, aged 24 and is commemorated on the Singapore Memorial in Kranji War Cemetery in Singapore.
He was the son of Ada Taylor and Edward Taylor of Hindhead, Surrey
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Pte. Frederick Noel Taylor . British Army 4th Battalion Royal Norfolk Regiment from Gorleston-on-Sea
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G Taylor . British Army G Taylor served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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G Taylor . British Army G Taylor served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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G Taylor . British Army G Taylor served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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G Taylor . British Army Gordon Highlanders G Taylor served with the Gordon Highlanders British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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GA Taylor . British Army GA Taylor served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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GE Taylor . British Army East Surrey Regiment GE Taylor served with the East Surrey Regiment British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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Stkr.1stCl. Gelert Grafton Taylor . Royal Navy HMS Penelope from Portsmouth (d.18th Feb 1944) Stoker 1st Class Gelert Taylor served on HMS Penelope (The Pepperpot). He was born in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire in 1904. My grandfather, Gelert, died when HMS Penelope was torpedoed on 18th February 1944. He was married. His wife Ivy and their three children Phyllis, Mary and John, found it difficult to deal with their loss living through the blitz in Portsmouth. Gelert's wife Ivy lived to a ripe old age and she always spoke about him with love and affection.
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Geoffrey Archer "Buck" Taylor . Royal Navy HMS Implacable from Hull My father was an engineer on the ship's boilers but he told me they needed a cook and he volunteered knowing he could help the lads with extra rations even though he couldn't cook. He used to fry Yorkshire Pudding.
He lied when he joined up as he could not swim. They guessed he couldn't and the captain told him to prove it. My dad dived over board not too far from the ship and side paddled back in!!!
He told me that he had witnessed lots of accidents and crashes of the air craft trying to land on board including personnel helping them land. He was also on the Implacable plus 8 other ships.
He died in 2014
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Pte. George Frederick Taylor . British Army 2nd Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment from Consett my father seems to have had an interesting time in the Army.Three years later was involved in WW2. He apparently rose to sergeant but he must have blotted his copybook somewhere along the way because he was busted down to Private! Maybe as a result of this he was encouraged to join the Glider Pilot Regiment 2 Wing because I have his soldier's release book stating he was a troooper in the aforesaid Regiment. I would love to know more about how he ended up in a Glider Pilot Regiment and if anyone can enlighten me I would be very grateful. I just wish I had asked him more questions when he was alive because like many soldiers he did not say much about his time in WW2.
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Gnr. George Frederick Taylor . Royal Navy HMS Aurora Royal Marines from Manchester My grandad served on HMS Aurora during WW2 and was a gunner. I would love to hear from anyone that served with him or knew him.
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George Taylor . British Army Royal Artillery from Churwell, Leeds My grandfather George Taylor was in the Royal Artillery regiment between 1941 and 1945, he lived in Churwell in Leeds.
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Pte. George William Taylor . British Army 505th Field Company Royal Engineers from Barnet, Herterfordshire George Taylor served with 505 Field Company Royal Engineers.
The story of my father's wartime experiences from Dec 1940 to Jan 1946, created from his Service Record, letters, diaries and photographs by his son Norman Taylor.
My father was born in Finchley, North London in Nov 1912. He married in June 1939 and moved into a new house in Barnet, Herts the same year. He was conscripted into the Army in Aug 1940, passing his Medical A1 in July of that year.
Training for the Royal Engineers took place at Clyst Hydon in Devon from where he passed as a Sapper in December 1940. He joined C Company, the 505 Field Company, Royal Engineers, part of the 50th Northumbrian Infantry Division and was based in Slaithwaite in West Yorkshire until being sent to the Middle East in May 1941. So began a two and a half year adventure for a recently married Bus Conductor who had never been further afield than Margate in Kent.
The Convoy WS.8 departed Glasgow in May 1941. They travelled via Freetown in Sierra Leone and Durban in South Africa before arriving in Egypt in the middle of July 1941. The travelling didn't end there, since they continued on to Cyprus and Palestine before entering Iraq in Nov 1941.
George's diary shows that the winter in Eskilich, Iraq was very cold and the ground hard making the burying of mines on the border with Turkey very difficult.
In Feb 1942 the Company moved to the Western Front near Tobruk. This was a 10 day, 2000 mile journey by trucks and trains, passing through Tuz Khurmatu, the RAF base at Al Habbaniyah, Tel Aviv, Ismailia, Cairo, over the Nile and passed the Pyramids before moving through the desert to the Gazala line west of Tobruk.
George worked on laying mines around the defensive Boxes for the next four months. This was combined with Guard duty since they had captured several hundred prisoners of war. In June Rommel attacked and swept round the Southern edge of the defensive line and George's diary reports that they were surrounded. However, their Company of the 505th were facing an Italian section of the line which they attacked, escaping to the West! They followed Rommel's forces round to the south and east before eventually arrived back at Mersa Metruh. George reports that they had left some of their fellows behind (to be captured by the Germans) but it was the quick thinking of their Captain that had saved them! However, Rommel attacked again and surrounded the Allied forces a second time. Once more they managed to escape, this time eastwards, back towards Alexandra and the Nile. Here they regrouped for what was to come El Alamein.
During the preparation of a defensive line, they were heavily bombed by Stukas which George refers to as coming over in a regular parade. Other German heavy bombers joined in and there is reference to George being knocked up with his nerves being shot to pieces because of the bombing. However, by September, the RAF got the better of the Germans when he reported watching 10 planes being shot down within the day.
The 50th Division where in the middle of the El Alamein line when Montgomery attacked the Germans, and George reported that the Barrage that we put over for a whole week was terrific! As the Allies pushed forward George was on Salvage Duty and by the time the 505th reached El Daba, some 50km west of El Alamein, they were able to go through the battlefield of Tanks and recovered sufficient to make up for all our previous losses. Every step of the battlefield was covered in shrapnel a dozen pieces to every step and this covered several square miles!
On the push west George reports that they were involved in clearing mines and other likely objects, spending Christmas just south of Tobruk. They continued their push until Tripoli, where George reports seeing Churchill who was visiting the town. It was on the following forward push that George was thrown out of a jeep he was travelling in and ended up being out of it for three weeks. The Germans then established the Mareth Line between Medenine and Gabes in Tunisia. George was a recce sapper during the subsequent attack on the Mareth line and reports that things hummed that night things did. But after further attacks he wrote that his nerves were very ragged after the two innings that they had had. The 505th pushed forward towards Tunis but on the 20th of April 1943 they were withdrawn from the front back to the Nile Delta; a journey of close on 2000 miles.
Unfortunately, Georges diary for 1943 has not been found, but his letters home reflect that he did participate in Operation Huskey the invasion of Sicily. However, he had several bouts of malaria during this time. By Nov 1943 he was sufficiently ill that he was evacuated back to the Military Hospital at Netley, Southampton and discharged from the 505th Field Company.
He continued to have bouts of Malaria through the first half of 1944. Eventually he joined 4th Mechanical Equipment HQ in Jul 1944 and was sent to France. The HQ moved with the 8th Army through France, Belgium and Germany as they advanced. George was mainly involved with administrative work during this time. He ended up in Bas Salzuflen (Germany) until he was discharged in Jan 1946.
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Pte. George William Taylor . British Army 505 Field Coy. Royal Engineers from Barnet, Herts.
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