Taylor, Edward Hammond

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Edward Hammond Taylor

419637, Sergeant, Labour Corps
Formerly 10877, 1st Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
Died of illness, 20 July 1919, aged 26
Buried at Norbury (St. Thomas) Churchyard

CWGC registered (Son of Mr E H Taylor, of 13, Oxford St, Heaton Norris, Stockport)

Edward Hammond Taylor, the son of Edward Hammond Taylor, a butcher, and his wife Lucy Florence Taylor (née Whyman), was born at Norbury, Hazel Grove, Stockport on 1 September 1892. According to the baptismal record (9 October 1892), the family lived at 21 Chester Road, Norbury. Edward’s mother died in March 1896 and from June of that year, Edward attended Norbury National/Church of England School. In 1900, Edward Taylor (senior) married Elizabeth Harriet Hough. The Census for 1901 recorded the family still resident at Chester Road; Edward (junior – 8) had three elder brothers, John, Harry and Sam plus three sisters and a stepsister.

The Census of 1911 indicates that Edward (junior) was a private in the Cheshire Regiment stationed at Chester Castle. Though no documentation of his service with the Cheshire’s has been forthcoming, it would appear that he had joined the Special Reserve the previous year and was doing six month’s initial training. Clearly Edward was attracted to army life for in 1912, he enlisted into the Cameronian’s (Scottish Rifles) of the Regular Army with a regimental number of 10877. Perhaps this was because the Cheshire Regiment was not recruiting regular soldiers at this time. Though Edward’s army record no longer exists, some soldiers with close regimental numbers were formerly serving in the Special Reserve of other regiments.

Edward disembarked at Le Havre on 15 August 1914 with the 1st Battalion of the Scottish Rifles. Very little is known of Edward’s subsequent service though civilian records indicate that he married Sarah Jane Richardson (b Llandudno, 1873) on 4 September 1915 at St. George’s Church, Llandudno, his rank in the Scottish Rifles being lance serjeant. Edward’s last unit was in the Labour Corps which was formed in early 1917 consolidating regimental Labour Battalions and other work companies of soldiers who were not medically fit enough for active service but who could still perform useful work. The Scottish Rifles’ work battalion was the 14th (Labour) Battalion that had formed in June 1916. It moved to France the following month and was absorbed by the Labour Corps in April 1917. Edward Taylor’s regimental number in the Labour Corps was 419637 and his rank on transfer was that of sergeant.

Edward Hammond Taylor died on 20 July 1919 aged 26 of a cerebral haemorrhage and heart failure at the Temporary Military Hospital Wadsley, Ecclesfield, Sheffield. On the death certificate, his home address was 15 Oxford Street, Heaton Norris, Stockport and his rank was that of corporal. His body was taken to St. Thomas’ Churchyard at Norbury and he was buried alongside his mother. Edward’s brothers Harry and John were both killed in the Great War.

Because soldiers in the Labour Corps were not involved in active warfare, a decision was made so that men who were in the Labour Corps when they were killed, or when they died, would be commemorated using details of their previous regiments.

Known memorials:

  • Llandudno Roll of Honour (as Corporal)
  • Llandudno War Memorial
  • Memorial Chapel, Holy Trinity Church, Llandudno
  • Hazel Grove War Memorial
  • Special Memorial, St. Thomas’ Churchyard, Norbury

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