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Auction: 23111 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 913

(x) A Great War M.C. group of four awarded to 2nd Lieutenant C. W. Taylor, 17th (Empire) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), late Private, 24th (2nd Sportsman's) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), who was commissioned and latterly died of his wounds on 25 February 1917; Taylor was a talented athlete who had been selected for Great Britain at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics and held the 1-mile relay World Record, at the outbreak of the Great War he was one of just two non-Americans in the list of the fastest sprinters over 100 yards in the world

Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; 1914-15 Star (2006 Pte. C. W. Taylor. R. Fus:); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (2. Lieut. C. W. Taylor.), good very fine (4)

M.C. London Gazette 13 February 1917:

'For conspicuous gallantry in action. He displayed great courage and coolness on several occasions. On one occasion, when the enemy were throwing bombs, he charged them with the bayonet. He was severely wounded.'

Clive Wailes Taylor was born on 8 May 1891 at Kidsgrove, Staffordshire. A talented athlete, his entry on the Olympedia gives good detail:

'...the youngest of six children, was just eight-years-of-age when his father died. At the age of 16, Clive got a job as a clerk in the Post Office, before later working in their Savings Bank Department in London. A keen athlete, he started as a sprinter with the Polytechnic Harriers before turning to the high jump in 1909. The following year, because of birth eligibility, he won the Northern Counties high jump title, but was then beaten by Howard Baker at that year’s AAAs Championships. Baker also beat Taylor into second place in 1912.

After the Stockholm Olympics, Taylor reverted to serious sprinting again, and at Stamford Bridge on 13 September 1913 was a member of the 8-man Polytechnic Harriers team, along with Willie Applegarth, that broke the world mile relay record with a time of 2:59.0. in the last AAAs before World War I, in 1914, Taylor lost by inches to Applegarth in the 100 yards final. Taylor and Applegarth were the only two non-Americans on the list of the world’s fastest men over 100 yards in 1914.'

Having been selected for Great Britain in the high jump and standing high jump in the 1912 Olympics, he served in France during the Great War with the 24th (2nd Sportsman's) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) from 15 November 1915. Commissioned 2nd Lieutenant on 6 July 1916, he served with the 17th (Empire) Battalion and showed great gallantry in winning his M.C., before being mortally wounded. Taylor died on 25 February 1917 and is buried in the Wimereux Communal Cemetery; sold together with copied research. The M.I.D. remains unconfirmed.

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Sold for
£1,100

Starting price
£550