Name
Frederick Edward Taylor
19th July 1885
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
23/10/1917
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
7533
Honourable Artillery Company
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
NIEDERZWEHREN CEMETERY, KASSEL
X. C. 9.
Germany
Headstone Inscription
"UNTIL THE DAYBREAKS"
UK & Other Memorials
Cheshunt Town War Memorial,
Christ Church (formerly Holy Trinity Church) Memorial, Waltham Cross
Pre War
Frederick Edward Taylor was born in Bury St Edmonds, Suffolk, on 19th July 1885, son of Robert Edward Taylor a, Printer Compositor and Ruth Marsh Taylor (nee Newell). One of four children although two died in infancy.
1891 Census records Frederick aged 5, living with his parents, and sister Ettie (6 months), at 21 Springfield Road, Bury St Edmonds, Suffolk.
1901 Census Frederick (15) had left school and employed as an Apprentice Journalist, living with his parents, and sister Ettie at, 39 Queens Road, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. His father is recorded as a Printer Manager & Publisher.
1911 Census, Frederick (25) is now a Journalist in Hertfordshire, recorded as a boarder with Richard & Mary Sharpe at, 51 York Road, Waltham Cross, Herts.
Frederick married Gertrude Laura Holl of Cheshunt, Herts, the daughter of Alfred and Elizabeth Holl, on 3rd August 1912, at Holy Trinity Church, Waltham Cross, Herts.
Before he enlisted he was a reporter on the on the weekly telegraph at Waltham Abbey and acted as a correspondent on for the Hertfordshire Mercury. At the outbreak of war he first joined the special constabulary and also became a volunteer fireman. However he went on to enlist before being called up.
Wartime Service
Frederick enlisted at Cheshunt, for the duration of the war on 18th November 1915, he gave his age as 30 years, married, occupation a Reporter, and living at 38 York Road, Waltham Cross, Herts. Posted to the Army Reserve the following day the 19th.
Mobilized for war service on 2nd May 1916, and posted to the Honourable Artillery Company with the service number 7533. On completion of his training he sailed from Southampton, on 1st October 1916, for Le Havre, France, arriving on the 3rd October 1916, he proceeded to the Front arriving on 4th October 1916.
Frederick was reported missing on 3rd May 1917, during the Second Battle of Bullecourt. He was wounded in action, believed to his leg, and could not be evacuated, so was taken a Prisoner of War (POW). He was taken to the Hemeln/Hemelin POW Camp, in Lower Saxony, Germany, and given the POW No. 67226. He died in the POW Hospital in Hemeln/Hemelin, on 23rd October 1917, at 11am, of his wounds, (Believed to be Gun Shot and Shrapnel Wounds (information obtained from German POW Death Records) ).
Frederick was initially buried in Hemeln/Hemelin, POW Cemetery, later reburied in Niederzwehren Cemetery, Kassel, Hessen, Germany. Grave Ref: X. C. 9.
His wife received news that he had died of wounds and this was reported in the Hertfordshire Mercury on 1 December 1917
Additional Information
Gertrude received a £5, Grant on 29th November 1917, a widow’s pension of 13/9 a week from 27th May 1918, and his effects of £7-18s-4d, pay owing and his war gratuity of £6.
His Headstone inscription: “UNTIL THE DAY BREAKS” was requested by his wife Gertrude Taylor.
His service record and some POW records are available on-line.
He is recorded on his father Robert’s grave, who is buried in Bury St Edmonds Cemetery.
“HIS SON WHO DIED IN GERMANY FROM WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION 23RD OCT 1917 AGED 32 YEARS”
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
