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Auction: 21001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals (conducted behind closed doors)
Lot: 632

(x) Eight: Major L. J. F. 'Leav' Taylor, South Lancashire Regiment, who earned a brace of 'mentions' whilst serving with the 7th Gurkhas attached to 'V Force' in Burma during the Second World War and latterly whilst attached to the Royal Malay Regiment; he was indeed lucky to escape the mutiny of the 1st Tanganyika Rifles in 1964, in which his actions may well have inspired the writers of the film adaption of Guns at Batasi

1939-45 Star; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, with M.I.D. oak leaf; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Malaya, with M.I.D. oak leaf (Capt. L. J. F. Taylor. S. Lan. R.); General Service 1962-2007, 1 clasp, Borneo (Major L. J. F. Taylor. Lan. R. (PWV)); Brunei, General Service Medal; Malaysia, Pingat Khidmat, mounted court-style as worn, good very fine (8)

MID London Gazette 5 April 1946 and 19 February 1955.

Leavitt John Flint Taylor - or Leav to his friends and comrades - was born on 19 February 1921 at Paignton, Devon. A good amount of detail can be obtained from his obituary which featured in the Journal of the 7th Gurkha Rifles in 2006:

'Leav went to school at Kelly College. While at school he excelled at sports and his main claim to fame was in swimming. In 1938 he left school at the age of 17. He decided that as he had insufficient qualifications to apply for training at the RMS, he would join up as an Emergency Commissioned Officer and he eventually sailed for India for training in Bangalore.

He was commissioned in 1941 into the 7th Gurkha Rifles an along with Jimmy Patrick was posted to Shillong, Assam to join the 1st Battalion. He was then seconded to V Force early in 1942, and joined Moke Murray on patrols in the Kabaw Valley. He continued his excellent work with V Force until after the Japanese were stopped at Imphal, earning a Mention in Despatches. He then returned to the 1st Battalion which was with 48 Brigade in 17 Indian Division.

Leav was with the Battalion as it swept south from Imphal passing through the Corps bridgehead, and with the Tank Brigade as it advanced on Meiktila....After the Japanese surrender Leav returned to the UK but decided to soldier on. He was posted to the Lancashire Regiment a move he felt was 'sad and regretable'. He needed to serve overseas and he soon organised a posting to the Malay Regiment in 1952. He served with them for three years, jungle bashing after Communist Terrorists and was awarded another Mention. He then returned to HQ of the Lancastrian Brigade as a Staff Officer, from 1955-59. His next posting was to the King's African Rifles as 2IC, before going onto their HQ at Dar es Salaam as DAQMG. His final secondment was to the Royal Brunei Regiment as 2IC from 1961-63.

Home at last, his final posting was as Chief Instructor on the 3" Mortar at the Support Weapon Wing at Netheravon. He married first in 1946, his wife died in 1964. He married Jane in 1967 and lived very happily in Thatcher's Cottage. Leav was a staunch supporter of the Gurkha and did a great deal of fund raising for the GWT. At the age of 70 he did a free fall parachute jump and raised £2000.'

It should be noted Taylor served with the Royal Malay Regiment from 1956-59, in Africa from 1961-64 and thence with the Brunei Regiment. He retired on 21 December 1968.

Whilst in Africa, he was caught in amongst the mutiny of the 1st Tanganyika Rifles - it is likely his actions were used to inspire the film Guns at Batasi; sold together with copied research.

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Sold for
£1,200

Starting price
£400