A HIGHLY DESIRABLE 1914-1915 “BEAUMONT-HAMEL” CASUALTY TRIO.
To:
13397. Pte J. TAYLOR
1st Bn LANCASHIRE FUSILIERS.
KILLED IN ACTION.SATURDAY 1st JULY 1916 “BEAUMONT-HAMEL”
“FIRST DAY OF THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME”.
(BIOGRAPHY) 26th July 1886- 1st July 1916.
James Taylor was a Manchester man, apparently living in Whitely Street, in the Rochdale Road area of Bolton, Lancashire.
He was married prior to The Great War in about 1910 at age 24.
At the time of James’ death on 1st July 1916, his widow, Elizabeth Anne Taylor (nee Vanes) was living at 28 Whitley Street when she claimed for a widow’s pension. There was a daughter “Ethel” who was born to the couple in 1911.
Elizabeth Taylor remarried and later became Mrs E.A.Williams.
James had probably joined the army as a Kitchener volunteer in late 1914 at age 29 with an original muster into 13th “Service” Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers.
Due to the fast deteriorating situation overseas he was then drafted into the 1st Battalion Lancs Fusiliers and shipped off to the war with his first area of service being in Theatre 2b (Gallipoli) where he arrived as a reinforcement on 11th August 1915. These Kitchener’s men from the service units were partly composed of slightly older men who were obviously drafted out to Gallipoli from the U.K. to support the 1st Battalion after their many losses in the infamous Gallipoli landings of 25th April 1915, where the 1st Lancs Fusiliers famously won Six Victoria Crosses before breakfast.
THE SUNKEN LANE Later being evacuated to Egypt & onward to Marseilles, for further service in France in the early months of 1916, Pte James Taylor was by late June in the now famous ‘Sunken Lane’ position right across from the German front line which spanned the horizon on Hawthorn Ridge at Beaumont-Hamel.
This was in readiness for what was then known as “The Big Push” on 1st July.
Now forever known as “1st Day of The Battle of The Somme”.
[SATURDAY 1st JULY 1916]
To the north of the river Ancre lay an important objective, the Grandcourt-Serre ridge. This ridge was the goal of the V111 Corp in which the 1st and 2nd LFs were serving.
The Germans who were as normal on the high ground had the ridge very well protected with a formidable series of defences, amongst these was the heavily fortified village of Beaumont-Hamel.
On the 29th June 1916 the Divisional Commander Major General H.de.B.de Lisle addressed the main body of 1st Lancashire Fusiliers and this is what he said,
"To you has been set the most difficult task, that of breaking the hardest part of the enemies shell"
The Battalion’s objective was the village of Beaumont Hamel.
Between the men and their objective lay a sunken road which was chosen as the forming up point. The Battalion would attack from here following a huge artillery barrage and a massive mine being detonated at the Hawthorn redoubt.
The massive Hawthorn Ridge mine explosion. This was caused by the ignition of 40,000 lbs of ammonal at 07:20 am on 1st July had the unfortunate side effect of alerting the Germans to the presence of 1st Lancashire Fusiliers who were formed up in the sunken road. The men were then subjected to a tremendous enemy cross fire from the front and both sides.
German snipers were killing the wounded and those who were trying to help them and the road soon became blocked with the dead and dying.
The attack cost the Battalion very dearly indeed with 7 officers killed and 14 wounded, 156 Other ranks were killed outright and 298 wounded.
With 11 men missing, presumed dead, the total death toll rose to 316.
The body of James Taylor was one of those which was lost without trace and he has no known grave.
James is commemorated with Eternal Honour on the Thiepval Memorial to the missing, Somme, France.
“LET US NOT FORGET THE TRUE COST OF OUR FREEDOM”
“There is a corner of a foreign field that is forever Lancashire”
AN EXCELLENT & TOTALLY ORIGINAL TRIO, UNCLEANED in EF+ with ITS ORIGINAL RIBBONS and CWG copy paperwork with Widow’s Pension papers & Medal Index Card copy.
This is a particularly good “Must Have” group for the dedicated Lancashire Fusiliers collector & enthusiast and a Very Seldom Seen Item.
Contact us today on 01342-870926
Quality Part Exchanges Are Welcome
SOLD (Gone Home To Lancashire)
(BIOGRAPHY) 26th July 1886- 1st July 1916.
James Taylor was a Manchester man, apparently living in Whitely Street, in the Rochdale Road area of Bolton, Lancashire.
He was married prior to The Great War in about 1910 at age 24.
At the time of James’ death on 1st July 1916, his widow, Elizabeth Anne Taylor (nee Vanes) was living at 28 Whitley Street when she claimed for a widow’s pension. There was a daughter “Ethel” who was born to the couple in 1911.
Elizabeth Taylor remarried and later became Mrs E.A.Williams.
James had probably joined the army as a Kitchener volunteer in late 1914 at age 29 with an original muster into 13th “Service” Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers.
Due to the fast deteriorating situation overseas he was then drafted into the 1st Battalion Lancs Fusiliers and shipped off to the war with his first area of service being in Theatre 2b (Gallipoli) where he arrived as a reinforcement on 11th August 1915. These Kitchener’s men from the service units were partly composed of slightly older men who were obviously drafted out to Gallipoli from the U.K. to support the 1st Battalion after their many losses in the infamous Gallipoli landings of 25th April 1915, where the 1st Lancs Fusiliers famously won Six Victoria Crosses before breakfast.
THE SUNKEN LANE Later being evacuated to Egypt & onward to Marseilles, for further service in France in the early months of 1916, Pte James Taylor was by late June in the now famous ‘Sunken Lane’ position right across from the German front line which spanned the horizon on Hawthorn Ridge at Beaumont-Hamel.
This was in readiness for what was then known as “The Big Push” on 1st July.
Now forever known as “1st Day of The Battle of The Somme”.
[SATURDAY 1st JULY 1916]
To the north of the river Ancre lay an important objective, the Grandcourt-Serre ridge. This ridge was the goal of the V111 Corp in which the 1st and 2nd LFs were serving.
The Germans who were as normal on the high ground had the ridge very well protected with a formidable series of defences, amongst these was the heavily fortified village of Beaumont-Hamel.
On the 29th June 1916 the Divisional Commander Major General H.de.B.de Lisle addressed the main body of 1st Lancashire Fusiliers and this is what he said,
"To you has been set the most difficult task, that of breaking the hardest part of the enemies shell"
The Battalion’s objective was the village of Beaumont Hamel.
Between the men and their objective lay a sunken road which was chosen as the forming up point. The Battalion would attack from here following a huge artillery barrage and a massive mine being detonated at the Hawthorn redoubt.
The massive Hawthorn Ridge mine explosion. This was caused by the ignition of 40,000 lbs of ammonal at 07:20 am on 1st July had the unfortunate side effect of alerting the Germans to the presence of 1st Lancashire Fusiliers who were formed up in the sunken road. The men were then subjected to a tremendous enemy cross fire from the front and both sides.
German snipers were killing the wounded and those who were trying to help them and the road soon became blocked with the dead and dying.
The attack cost the Battalion very dearly indeed with 7 officers killed and 14 wounded, 156 Other ranks were killed outright and 298 wounded.
With 11 men missing, presumed dead, the total death toll rose to 316.
The body of James Taylor was one of those which was lost without trace and he has no known grave.
James is commemorated with Eternal Honour on the Thiepval Memorial to the missing, Somme, France.
“LET US NOT FORGET THE TRUE COST OF OUR FREEDOM”
“There is a corner of a foreign field that is forever Lancashire”
AN EXCELLENT & TOTALLY ORIGINAL TRIO, UNCLEANED in EF+ with ITS ORIGINAL RIBBONS and CWG copy paperwork with Widow’s Pension papers & Medal Index Card copy.
This is a particularly good “Must Have” group for the dedicated Lancashire Fusiliers collector & enthusiast and a Very Seldom Seen Item.
Contact us today on 01342-870926
Quality Part Exchanges Are Welcome
SOLD (Gone Home To Lancashire)