Name
Philip Churton (Charlton?) Taylor(*1)
Jun 1895
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
15/09/1916
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lieutenant
London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers)
2nd (City of London) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 9 D and 16 B.
France
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Aldenham School Memorial, Aldenham
Pre War
Philip Churton Taylor was born in 1895 to Herbert Taylor (Member of the College of Surgeons) and Gertrude Louisa (nee Carter). They resided in Lambeth, London.
He was educated at Aldenham School and a member of the Officers Training Corps.
Wartime Service
Philip enlisted on 6 Aug 1914 as Rifleman 1658 in 21st battalion Surrey Rifles, London Regiment, Royal Fusiliers. He remained on Home Service until 14 Mar 1915 when he joined the Expeditionary in France. Around Oct/Nov 1915 there are records which suggest that because there seems to be no record of him being on the strength of certain battalions of the regiment there is a suspicion that he may have deserted. But it should be noted that his records often quote his middle name as Charlton and it also probably around this time that he gained a commission. This situation must been resolved satisfactorily as he was in the rank of Captain.
He was initially recorded as Missing and his death was presumed to have been on 15 Sep 1916. This was probably an Attack on High Wood on the Somme during which First Surreys suffered high casualties. He remembered on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing.
Additional Information
*1 Middle name was Churton but records often use Charlton. This meant
it was difficult to trace his past.
His older brother Geoffrey David Taylor (born 1889) served in Royal Navy from 1904 to 1935 retiring in the rank of Captain.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Tony James
