Photo: Dorothy Hall
In Duncombe Cemetery Ferryhill Station is a headstone which reads:-
In loving memory of
Benjamin beloved husband of
Elizabeth Taylor
Died July 15th 1907 aged 40 years
Also 3 sons and 1 daughter of the above
Also my beloved husband Fred Snaith
Killed in France September 16th 1916 aged 40 years
Also John Robert Taylor
The beloved son of the above
Killed in France September 12th 1918 aged 23 years
Forever with the Lord
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
John Robert Taylor was born 1896 in Chilton, County Durham, the only son of Benjamin Taylor (1867) of Farnley, Yorkshire and Elizabeth Birbeck (1871) a native of Shildon, County Durham. His parents were married April 1894 and by 1901 were living with infant John Robert at 69 Windlestone Colliery, Chilton. Benjamin Taylor worked at the colliery as a hewer, unfortunately he died before 1911. In 1911 his widow Elizabeth can be found living at 11 Magdalene Place, Ferryhill with John Robert, now 15 years old, employed as a general labourer and Fred Snaith, a boarder. April 5th 1913 John Robert’s widowed mother married Fred, six years her junior, in Sedgefield.
John Robert Taylor enlisted 1914 in Bishop Auckland and was originally assigned as Private 7505 Durham Light Infantry later reassigned as 325857. His military record no longer exists, destroyed along with many others during the blitz of WW2, however he was mobilised after December 1915 as he was not awarded the 1915 Star. Once mobilised he was transferred to the 1st/9th Battalion D. L. I., a territorial force, 151st Brigade, 50th Northumbrian Division who during the Battles of the Somme, September 1916, were involved in the Battle of Flers-Courcelette and the attack at the Quadrangle near Ginchy. The next target during the Battle of Transloy was the attempt to capture the village of Le Sars. The battalion was also involved in the last offensive on the Somme at Butte and Warlencourt where the 1st/6th, 8th and 9th lost between then nearly 940 officers and men killed, wounded or missing for no gain. The attack along the line at Arras began in 1917 followed by Messines and the Third Battle of Ypres. July 1918 they were reduced to cadre strength and transferred to the Lines of Communication. They were also involved at Cambrai and Hermies which was retaken from the Germans in the September of 1918. John Robert Taylor was killed in action September 12th 1918, he was 22 years old. His body was buried on the battlefield and later exhumed for reburial at Hermies Hill British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France, grave II. C. 39.
His mother as sole beneficiary received all monies due to him, a pension and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
John Robert’s death was preceded by that of his step father Fred Snaith who had joined the Durham Light Infantry as Private 19858 and was killed July 16th 1916 on the Somme. He has no known grave, his sacrifice is recorded on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing in France and appears along with that of John Robert Taylor on the Triptych, St Aidan Church, Chilton Buildings.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
John Robert Taylor is remembered at Chilton on C107.01, C107.04 and C107.12
