Ploegsteert Memorial
Ploegsteert Memorial 2016
DLI Memorial Book
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
William Taylor was born in Bishop Auckland and enlisted in Ferryhill during August 1914 assigned to the Durham Light Infantry as Private 9896, 1/7th Battalion attached to the 50th Division. The regular Battalion was in Sunderland when they received the order to mobilise for war but moved to the Tyne defences by mid August 1914, then Ravensworth Park and was in Newcastle by the October. William underwent training and by early April the 50th Division was warned that it would be going overseas. Entrainment began on April 16th 1915 and by the 23rd William was at the front near Steenvoorde in Belgium just as the German army attacked nearby Ypres using poisonous gas for the first time. They were rushed into battle and took part in the phases of the Second Battle of Ypres during 1915, the Battles of the Somme 1916, the Arras Offensive and the Third Battles of Ypres in 1917.
Still in the field in 1918, March 21st saw the beginning of the Battle of St. Quentin which lasted three days and saw the greatest gains by the Germans, British casualties were heavy. The Battle of Lys took place April 7th-29th 1918 and entailed the Battle of Estaires and Messines 9th - 11th, followed by the Battle of Hazelbrouck April 12th-15th. On April 12th the 1/7th collected at La Motte occupying the out houses of the Chateau. The following morning April 13th at 5 a. m. the Chateau was heavily shelled for quarter of an hour resulting in several N. C. O’s and men being killed. It was during this shelling that Private 9896 William Taylor 1/7th Battalion Durham Light Infantry was on of those killed in action. His sacrifice is recorded on the Ploegsteert Memorial, Hainaut, Belgium which lies within Berks Cemetery Extension commemorating more than 11,000 servicemen of the United Kingdom and South Africa forces who died in the surrounding area, most of whom did not die in major offensives but in the course of day to day trench warfare and have no known grave. William was awarded the 1914-15 Star, the British War medal and the Victory Medal.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest in Peace
William Taylor is remembered at Chilton on C107.01, C107.04 and C107.12
