Aberdeen Roll of Honour & OTC Roll of Honour
OTC Roll of Honour entry
John Olgivie Taylor was born in Aberdeen 29th November 1884, the son of John Orr Taylor of 11 Hudson Street, Tyne Dock, South Shields, a Shipmaster, and his wife Mary Gray Fyfe Taylor.
John was educated at the Aberdeen Grammar School and Kings College, Aberdeen University. He graduated M.A., in 1910 and became an English Master at Basingstoke Grammar School.
In April 1915 he joined the Inns of Court O.T.C., from which he received a commission in the Buffs.
The Gazette 13th October 1915 [10108] reports "Lance-Corporal John Olgivie Taylor, from the Inns of Court Officers Training Corps to be 2nd Lieutenant. Dated 22nd September 1915".
In October 1916 he went to the Front with his Battalion, and was attached to the Middlesex Regiment.
He was killed in action at Monchy-le-Preux, on the 3rd May 1917.
Popular with his fellow-officers and beloved by his men, his death was felt as an irreparable loss.
He was a man of fine literary taste, and in his College days a great supporter of a dramatic club for the study of Shakespeare. The breadth of his interests and sympathies, the wider outlook which much travel in France and Germany had given him, made his friendship a privilege and delight.
In 1917, he was residing at the Great Western Road.
A brother officer wrote:- "He was beloved by us all, and was extremely popular with his men. To those of us who have lived with him had the privilege of his friendship during the six months he has been in France, his departure is a real blow , and one from which we shall not easily recover".
He was keenly interested in literature, and took a prominent part at his University in the promotion of a dramatic club for the study of Shakespeare".
He was unmarried.
De Ruvigny Roll of Honour
He is remembered in the Aberdeen University Roll of Honour and the O.T.C., Roll of Honour.
He is not remembered on a North East War Memorial.
