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Auction: 24002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 237

A Great War M.M. group of five to Sergeant J. W. Taylor, Royal Engineers, who was additionally awarded an M.S.M. for his service in France, and who was killed in action on 28 September 1918

Military Medal, G.V.R. (313146 Cpl J. W. Taylor. 25/D.S. Coy R.E.); 1914-15 Star (63143 Gnr. J. W. Taylor, R.F.A.); British War and Victory Medals (63143 Sjt. J. W. Taylor. R.A.); Army Meritorious Service Medal, G.V.R. (313146 2.Cpl - A.Cpl - J. W. Taylor. 25/ D. S. Coy R.E.), good very fine (5)

M.M. London Gazette 12 June 1918.

M.S.M. London Gazette 17 June 1918.

John William Taylor was born 1889, the second son of William and Mary Ann Taylor and one of four children, (Joseph, Alice and Annie). In 1901 he was residing at 13 Manor Fold, Baildon, Yorkshire. His father was a mason contractor and ran his own business, in which John worked. At the outbreak of the Great War, John Taylor volunteered for active service and enlisted into the Royal Field Artillery in December 1914. He underwent some part of his training at a Camp in Frome, Somerset and went to France on 27 September 1915.

At some point in the War, he transferred to the 25th Divisional Signal Company, Royal Engineers and gained steady promotion to his final rank as Sergeant. In early 1918, the Division moved to the area north west of Bapaume on 13 February, becoming reserve Division to IV Corps. As rumours of an impending enemy attack grew, the 74th and 75th Brigades moved up closer to the front, at Fremicourt and Biefvillers respectively, where manual work in cable laying was undertaken.

The Battle of St Quentin

At 0500hrs on 21 March, the Germans launched their massive Spring Offensive and intense shell fire erupted along the entire length of the front, also targeting railheads, supply depots, dumps and nearby camps. By 1130hrs that day, it was clear that a great advance by the enemy had been made, pushing through the British first, second and main defence trenches. In this battle, the units of the Division were ordered to reinforce other sorely pressed formations in a piecemeal fashion.

Signal communications were under Major E. de W. Bradley, M.C., with three Lieutenants responsible for dedicated communications between the Divisional HQ to the three Brigades - Lieut. Pullan being responsible for wires leading to the 7th Brigade, (10th Cheshires, 1st Wiltshires and 4th South Staffs regts). During the five almost continuous days of battle, the lines to the 7th and 74th Brigades were maintained almost continuously, under intense fire. It was during this action that Corporal Taylor, a linesman, plus others, '...were all conspicuous for their bravery in taking messages to the Battalions of the 7th Brigade.'

From the opening phases of the attack until the Division was withdrawn six days later, it fought continuously under strange commanders and staffs, and not as a Division. The 74th Brigade was ordered to support 51st (Highland) Division on the Bapaume-Cambrai road; the 75th Brigade moved up to Favreuil to reinforce 6th Division. The 7th Brigade moved up as support and took up position at Fremicourt.

The First Battle of Bapaume

The defensive fight was continuous and confusing, as enemy units pushed forward on all sides. Carrying out a fighting withdrawal, by 26 March the Division found itself on the 1916 Somme battlefields. On that date, the Division was finally relieved and moved to Pommier and thence to Couin. By 28 March, the Brigades were south of Doullens and out - for the moment - of harm's way. The Division was desperately tired, having been in continuous action and covering on 27 and 28 March a considerable distance on foot (36 miles in 36 hours). It had also lost more than half its fighting strength: 318 officers and men dead, 1496 wounded and 1588 missing, many taken prisoner.

Taylor was awarded the M.M. for his bravery during this battle and the M.S.M. for similarly good services.

On 30-31 March, the Division entrained and moved to Caestre, the Divisional artillery remained behind supporting the New Zealand Division until 7 April. Here, many reinforcements arrived bringing the Division back up to full strength, although of course with many newly trained recruits and large numbers of teenagers. The absence of experienced N.C.O.s and troops who had worked together for a lengthy period would soon be keenly felt. In addition, many senior officer positions in the Division changed hands: the 25th Division of 9 April was a very different one to that which had been ordered forward on 21 March. The Division was once again holding the front line near Ploegsteert when the enemy struck again.

The Battle of Estaires

The 74th Brigade was in Divisional Reserve when the enemy attacked the British positions to the south, between Armentieres and Givenchy, on 9 April 1918. It was ordered to join the defence south of Steenwerck and held on only with difficulty.

The Battle of Messines

The enemy attack broke through the British at Ploegsteert and advanced along the Ypres road, endangering the garrison holding Ploegsteert Wood. Ordered to counter attack, the 75th Brigade, the Royal Engineers, Machine Gun Battalion and other elements of the Division became involved in heavy fighting. With the enemy infiltrating on either side on 10 May, losses at the Catacombs of Hill 63 were serious although there were many remarkable acts as some units managed to extricate themselves and withdraw. Further retirements were forced upon the Division - which also had 100th Brigade of 33rd Division under orders - on 12 April; the forward position on this day ran through Kortepyp. The army's line of defence that ran in front of Dranoutre and Kemmel, was held by a hastily organised composite force of units and men of the Division.

The Battle of Bailleul

By the morning of 13 April, the 74th Brigade was established on the high ground east of Bailleul. Coming under bombardment from 9.30 a.m. onwards and was attacked by infantry two hours later, the Brigade fought a staunch defence - as did the 7th and 75th Brigades nearby. Fighting continued throughout 14 April and next day the high ground and the town of Bailleul itself fell to the Germans. The Division was by now thoroughly shattered: broken up, exhausted by continuous fighting for five days, and fragmented by heavy losses. A sad composite formation of what was left of 7th and 75th Brigades withdrew through Boeschepe on 16 April but were ordered up to the area south of Mont Noir in support of 34th Division.

By 1 -18 April it had been withdrawn to Abeele. The 74th Brigade came out to Proven on 20-21 April. There would be little rest. After four days out of the line, during which French troops had joined the line and lost on 25 April 1918 the key position of Kemmel Hill, the 25th Division was ordered to reinforce and counter attack under orders of the French 2nd Cavalry Corps. The attack went in at 0300hrs on 26 April after a heavy overnight fall of rain. Two brigades of the artillery of 38th (Welsh) Division supported the 25th Division in this enterprise. Assisted by fog but held up by the flooded Kemmelbeek, the objectives were captured although the line of the railway could not be held and the troops consolidated. Casualties were light at first but heavier in the withdrawal from the railway position. The Divisions to the left and right fared less well, leaving 25th Division holding a narrow sector including the Le Clytte (De Klijte) - Kemmel road.

Intelligence reports began to indicate that an attack might be expected against the British positions as far north as Ypres. German shellfire opened in the early morning of 29 April but British artillery and infantry firepower from 75th Brigade broke up several enemy attempts. The line afterward became comparatively quiet, and the Division was withdrawn by 4 May to about 10 miles west of Poperinge. From the start of the Battle of the Lys on 9 April, the Division had suffered another 7702 casualties, of whom 270 were known to be dead. This was two thirds of the Division's fighting strength. Of the total, 3407 were missing. The 10th and 11th Cheshires, 4th South Staffordshires, 1st Wiltshires and 9th Loyal North Lancashires suffered particularly heavy casualties.

The Division entrained at Rexpoede on 9 May and undertook a long journey to Fismes, 20 miles distant of Soissons in the Champagne. It was the last of four British Divisions making up IX Corps to arrive in the area, under a plan to relieve fresh French Divisions for the north. The front line on the Chemin des Dames and south of the Aisne had been very quiet since spring 1917 and it was expected that the tired Divisions could recuperate there. On 26 May, intelligence confirmed a heavy German attack could be expected. The 25th Division was in reserve and ordered up into a closer support position.

The 25th Division was ordered up to the area of Guyencourt, Muscourt, Ventelay, south of the River Aisne and north east of Fismes, when the enemy struck south across the Chemin des Dames.

At 0100hrs on 27 May 1918, a heavy German bombardment with gas and high explosive hit the entire area between the front line beyond the Chemin and Fismes itself. The infantry began to attack three hours later. The Division was instructed to hold the second line of defence, except for the poor 8th Border which was sent off to hold the Aisne bridges at Pontavert and Concevreux. By 10am, all three Brigades had come under orders of the 21st, the 8th and 50th Divisions respectively, which by now were fighting for their lives north of the river. By mid-day the Germans had broken through and crossed the Aisne: the units of 25th Division were thrown piecemeal into action. They were all but destroyed. The 11th Lancashire Fusiliers, holding high ground north of the Vesle, held out to the last man. The remnants of many units were temporarily joined into composite units, fighting a withdrawal as the enemy pressed on many miles across the River Marne. Casualties between 26 May and 14 June amounted to 4338 officers and men, of whom 2511 were missing.

By 9 June, a decision had been taken to break up what was left of the Division to reinforce other formations. On 24 June, Divisional HQ with the artillery, Field Ambulances and Machine Gun Battalion entrained for Hesdin. HQ returned to England on 30 June 1918 to begin the process of rebuilding and training. The infantry was assigned to other Divisions. The reformed Division moved back to France in September 1918, moving at first to St Riquier near Abbeville. Late in the month, it entrained for Fourth Army, coming under XIII Corps which was by now engaged in the more or less continuous and eventually victorious advance across Picardy.

It was on 28 September 1918, that Taylor was killed. It would appear that he was perhaps seconded to another unit at the time, because the 25th Divisional Signal Company was out of harm's way in Henecourt since 27 September and the war diary records no hostile action or casualties. He now lies in Templeux-le-Guerard British Cemetery. At the time of his death, Taylor's home address was recorded as 19 Moorland Avenue, Baildon. He was just 29 years old.

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Estimate
£700 to £900

Starting price
£600