Heslop’s Local Advertiser 22/09/1916
Thiepval Memorial
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
William Taylor was born at Heworth in 1894, one of 4 known children, 2 sons and 2 daughters, born to Edward Walton Taylor native of Windy Nook, Gateshead born 1864 and Mary Wilson born 1867 in the village of Cassop, near Durham. The couple were married in the district of Gateshead in 1889 and were living at Boistons Houses, Heworth, Gateshead in 1891, later moving to Chapel Square, Edward was employed as a coal miner/stone-man. When William was 8 years old his father, who was only 38, died in 1902, leaving his mother with 4 children all under 12 years of age. His mother Mary remarried in 1905 to bachelor Henry Winlow born 1871 at Ashington, Northumberland, setting up home together at 8, Chapel Square. In 1911 they had a 5-year-old son Henry Jnr, William now 17, worked underground at the colliery as a clip boy, his brother Oliver as a driver, his two elder sisters, Florence and Mary Ann, worked for the Sunbeam Electric Company.
William enlisted October 29th 1914 at Felling and was assigned as Private 21197 Durham Light Infantry, 12th (Service) Battalion, November 6th. One of the new army battalions the 12th Battalion attached to the 68rd Brigade, 23rd Division moved to Aldershot in November and on to Willesborough, Kent in March 1915 and by May they were at Bramshott. As part of the British Expeditionary Force the Division landed at Boulogne, August 26th 1915 concentrating near Tilques. September 5th, they were attached to the III Corp and moved to Merris-Vieux for trench familiarisation from the 20th and 27th Division, taking over the front-line sector between Ferme Grande Flamergrie to the Armentieres-Wez Macquart road in their own right by the 14th. During the Battle of Loos, they were in action holding the front at Bois Grenier, they were relieved from that sector at the end of January 1916 and Divisional HQ was established at Blaringhem with the units concentrated around Bruay for a period of rest. On March 3rd, they returned to the front line, taking over a sector between the Boyau de l'Ersatz and the Souchez River from the French 17th Division. In early March a Tunnelling Company was established and men with a background in mining were transferred from the ranks to the Royal Engineers. In Mid-April, whilst William was undergoing treatment for scabies, the Division returned to Bruay area for rest, he re-joined his Battalion April 20th. Mid May they again took over the front line, just before the German attack on Vimy Ridge on April 21st 1916. On June 11th 1916 the 23rd Division Infantry moved to Bomy and the artillery to Chamblain Chatelain and Therouanne to begin intensive training for the Battles of the Somme. July 3rd 1916 they were in action in the Battle of Albert which included the capture of Contalmaison, followed by the Battles of Bazentin Ridge and the Battle of Delville Wood which raged from July 15th-3rd September 1916.
Private 21197 William Taylor Durham Light Infantry was killed in action during this battle, July 17th 1916. His sacrifice is recorded on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, Thiepval, France, panel 14A and 15B, one of the 72,246 names of missing servicemen from the British Empire who died in the Battles of the Somme between 1915 and 1918 and have no known grave. William was 22 years old and single.
His mother Mary Winlow nee Taylor-Wilson received all monies due to him, a pension and his awards of the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Heslop’s Local Advertiser 22/09/1916 carries an In Memoriam notice which reads:
“Private William Taylor, D.L.I., killed in action on July 17th, aged 22 years and 5 months. Son of Mary and the late Edward Taylor, and stepson of Henry Winlow, of Heworth Colliery.”
William Taylor is remembered at Heworth on H92.03, H92.04 and H92.07
