Unit/Regiment	6th Bn, King's Own Scottish Borderers
Date of Death	25/09/1915		Age at Death		21
Burial/Memorial & Reference	Loos Memorial Panel 53 to 56
CWGC Family Details (if shown)	Son of James and Grace Taylor, of 33, Columbia Rd., Prescot, Lancs.
Census Details	1901 Census - 17 Cross Street, Prescot. James (37, a watch hand maker) and Grace (34), lived with their children Harry (13), Bertie (7) and Edith (1 month)
Birth/Marriage/Death Registrations	Birth registered Q1/1894, Prescot, 8b, 700
SDGW – Where Born	Prescot, Lancs	Enlisted		Warrington, Lancs	Resided	Prescot, Lancs
How Died	Killed In Action			Theatre of War	France & Flanders
Notes
Research Ref. No.	P270

Service Details

At the outbreak of war in August 1914, the two Regular Battalions and the two Territorial Battalions (4th and 5th) of the King’s Own Scottish Borderers were mobilized. In addition, ‘New Army’ Battalions (6th, 7th and 8th) were raised, together with a 9th Battalion, which provided reinforcements for the other Battalions, and a 10th (Garrison) Battalion.

By 1915, the 6^th Battalion was amongst others ready for the forthcoming Battle of Loos.

An artillery attack on the German lines had started on September 21st and 250,000 shells were fired at the German positions. On the 24th Haig was given the news that the predicted weather for the 25th was favourable and he ordered that poison gas would be used. Weather reports very early on the 25th indicated that the weather was "changeable" and Haig was advised to release the gas as soon as was possible. At 05.15 on the 25^th Haig ordered the release of chlorine. However, from the front line reports came back that the wind was too calm for the gas to be released.

 

At 05.50 gas was released from pressurised cylinders. The release of chlorine gas occurred on and off over a 40 minute period. The infantry attack started at 06.30. 

In some places the attack was very successful - the 15th Division, including the 6^th Battalion, KOSB, got into Loos and took the town after night-time street fighting. However, in some areas, lack of communication caused problems. At the La Bassée Canal, the officer in charge of releasing the chlorine failed to do so as he did not believe that the conditions were right. He only turned on the pressurised gas cylinders when he was ordered to do so - and poisoned 2,632 of his own men, with seven fatalities.

The 6^th Battalion suffered very heavy casualties at the Battle of Loos. One of those killed was Private Bertie Taylor. His body was never identified and he is remembered on the Loos Memorial.

 

The Parish Magazine of 26^th October 1915 reported “It is with great sorrow that I have to record the death of yet another Sunday School teacher, Bert Taylor, an orderly in the K. O. S. Borderers. He was killed in action during the successful British attack on Loos on 25^th September. He was 22 years of age. He is the 22^nd Prescotian to lay down his life for God and Country”.

 

 

Prescot Reporter 14^th September 1917

Unit/Regiment	21st Bn, King's (Liverpool Regiment)
Date of Death	07/03/1916		Age at Death		30
Burial/Memorial & Reference	Prescot Churchyard South East Part
CWGC Family Details (if shown)	Son of Sarah Ann Hunter (formerly Taylor), of 2, Stone Houses, Eccleston Lane Ends, Prescot.
Census Details	1901 Census – Ernest was aged 15 and worked as a Railway messenger. He lived at 5 Burrows Lane with his stepfather, John Hunter, a 53 year old Watch Pinion Maker, and his mother Sarah Ann, aged 43. There were a further 7 “Hunter” children, although it is not clear if Sarah is the mother of any of them
SDGW – Where Born	Sheffield	Enlisted		Liverpool	Resided	Prescot, Lancs
How Died	Died			Theatre of War	Home
Notes
Research Ref. No.	P271

Service Details

The 21^st Battalion of the King’s (Liverpool) Regiment was formed in Knowsley Park in August 1914 as a local reserve battalion. They remained on Home station throughout the war, never seeing overseas service.

Pte. Taylor is recorded as “Died”, indicating that he died from illness or accident. He did not serve overseas.

 

Private Taylor’s grave in Prescot Churchyard

Unit/Regiment	17th Bn., King's (Liverpool Regiment)
Date of Death	10/07/1916		Age at Death		21
Burial/Memorial & Reference	London Cemetery and Extension, Longueval 4 F 28
CWGC Family Details (if shown)	Son of the late John and Hannah Taylor; brother of Herbert Taylor, of 21. Liverpool Rd., Prescot, Lancashire.
Census Details	1901 Census - The family were living at 4, Rimmers Road, Eccleston. Father John (48), mother Hannah (47) and children Herbert (20), Thomas (18), Alice (16), Isaac (12), Hannah (9), Emma (7) and Alfred (5).
Birth/Marriage/Death Registrations
SDGW – Where Born	Prescot, Lancs	Enlisted		Prescot	Resided	Prescot, Lancs
How Died	Killed In Action			Theatre of War	France & Flanders
Research Ref. No.	P272

Service Details

Alfred Taylor enlisted in November 1914, giving his address as 31, Moss Street, Prescot. His next of kin was recorded as his father, John, at the same address.
The 17th (Service) Battalion of the King’s (Liverpool Regiment) has the distinction of being the first of the “pals” battalions formed during the war. The battalion was raised by Lord Derby on 29th August 1914 in the Prescot Watch Factory. The battalion was also referred to as the 1st City Pals battalion.

He embarked for France on 7th November 1915 and served as a Company Runner.

As part of the Somme offensive, the 17th battalion were responsible for the capture of Montauban (popularly known to the troops as “Montybong”). Under the command of Lt. Col. B. C. Fairfax, they moved up to their assembly trenches by 3.30 a.m. on the morning of 1st July, these being on a frontage of the Maricourt-Briquerie road. A  French battalion was on their right and the 20th (King’s) was on their left. The German lines were between 200 and 400 yards ahead.

The attack commenced at 7.30 with a swarm of men going “over the top”. It is worthy of note that this was the first time that the new steel helmets had been worn. The battalion advanced quickly across “No Mans Land” with very little resistance and they quickly took their first objective, known as “Dublin Trench”  by 8.30, the allotted time, and then dug in. The battalion suffered casualties of 3 officers wounded and 100 other ranks killed and wounded.

The 17^th Battalion spent the remainder of the 1^st July, and the whole of 2^nd July, in consolidating their captured Dublin and Casement trenches, with two companies of the battalion in each, and in digging a communications trench between them. The battalion also reported the 3rd July as a “quiet day”, although German shelling continued. 

One of the most difficult points to take on the Somme front was Trones Wood. By 10^th July, four attacks had already been launched against the wood in an attempt to capture the whole of it, but no more than a foothold had been obtained in the southern end of the wood.

One company of the 17^th Battalion had launched an attack against a German post situated where Trones Alley entered the wood, but the attack was a failure and the Battalion suffered heavy casualties. Private Taylor is likely to have been one of the casualties of this action. His body was recovered from the battlefield and he rests in London Cemetery and Extension, Longueval

 

The Parish Magazine of 22nd July 1916 reported "Four more of our townsmen have been reported Killed in Action", and included “Pte. Alfred Taylor of Moss Street, who was bugler to the 1^st Liverpool Pals Battalion”.

 

On 28^th July 1916, the “Prescot Reporter” stated “Runner Alfred Taylor, the son of Mr. John Taylor who resides at 31, Moss Street, Prescot, has been reported “missing” but fears are entertained that a more serious fate has overtaken him.

Lieutenant Williams of the King’s (Liverpool) Regiment, writing on Friday, said that although Taylor had been reported missing, they were certain that he had been killed. He was one of the company’s runners and had rendered excellent and invaluable work. He had carried several messages and had returned with the answers and in every way he had proved himself highly plucky. He was, therefore, a great loss to the company. The young fellow, for whom deep and gravest fears are entertained, was only 20 years of age. He was a great favourite among his friends at Prescot, and admired by all with whom he came in contact.”

 

 

Prescot Reporter 14^th September 1917

Unit/Regiment	6th Bn., Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
Date of Death	26/03/1917		Age at Death		20
Burial/Memorial & Reference	Basra War Cemetery IV J 4
Census Details	1901 Census - The Taylor family lived at 47, Kemble Street, Prescot. Joseph Taylor was 27 year old Coal Miner and a native of Longton in Staffordshire. His wife Ellen was also 27, and their children were Rebecca (6), Joseph (4) and 1 year old Ellen.
Birth/Marriage/Death Registrations	Birth Registered Q4/1896, Prescot. Volume, 8b, Page 715
SDGW – Where Born	Prescot, Lancs	Enlisted		Liverpool	Resided
How Died	Died of Wounds			Theatre of War	Mesopotamia
Research Ref. No.	P273

Service Details

The 6th (Service) Battalion of the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment was formed on 8th August 1914 and Joseph Taylor’s service number is in a range issued in early November of that year. His number, 17936, is just 4 away from Pte. William Critchley (also on this site), which suggests that perhaps the men were friends who enlisted on the same day.

Initial training of the battalion took place on Salisbury Plain but the battalion moved on to Blackdown, near Aldershot, early in 1915.

Around this time, it had been decided that the force in Gallipoli needed to be reinforced and the 6th Battalion was part of the 13th Division, which was chose for this task. Consequently, in early June of 1915, the battalion entrained at Farmborough for Avonmouth.

The battalion boarded s.s. “Braemar Castle” immediately but only sailed on 17th June. Steaming via Malta, Alexandria and Mudros, they finally landed at Cape Helles on the night of 6th July and immediately went into bivouacs. Within a short time they were in the front line trenches where they remained for most of July, suffering their first casualties. Towards the end of the month they were relieved and sent back to Mudros, but were back on the Peninsula by 4th August.

They were heavily involved in the fighting at Chunuk Bair, reporting 10 officers and eight other ranks killed, 30 wounded and no less than 445 missing, the majority of whom were “presumed killed”. In fact, “Soldiers Died in the Great War” reports 241 of the battalion being killed in the whole of August.

Eventually, the battalion was evacuated from Gallipoli as part of the overall withdrawal from the peninsula, and on 20th December 1915 they sailed on the s.s. “Huntsgreen” for Mudros. A month ot so later they embarked for Alexandria and then  on to Port Said.

Around this timer, the force led by General Townsend had become besieged at Kut in Mesopotamia and the 6th Battalion of the Loyals was chosen to take part in a relief attempt. They left Port Said on the 14th February and arrived in Kuwait Bay on the 27th. Then on the 3rd March, they proceeded up the Shatt-al-Arab waterway into Mesopotamia, reaching Basra on the 5th.

Despite the presence of the battalion, the garrison at Kut  surrendered in late April.  Throughout the remainder of 1916, the battalion was enaged in several operations aginst the Turksish forces in and around Baghdad.  Eventually by early 1917, they formed part of a force tasked with crossing the Diyala River, close to Baghdad as part of the British attack on Turkish forces which ultimately led to the fall of that city. Given the date of Private Taylor’s death, it seems likely that he was wounded in this action and ultimately succumbed to his wounds.

A party of about 100 of the battalion crossed the river on the night of 9^th/10^th March 1917, using pontoons, but having landed they then had to hold out against repeated Turkish attacks without resupply until 4.00 a.m. on the 10^th. 4 officers and 31 men were killed in this action, 67 were wounded and 2 were posted as missing. 

Captain O A Reid was awarded the Victoria Cross for his part in this action.

General Maude’s report of the actions around this time reads:-

“It now became evident that, although the line of the Diyala was not held strongly, it was well defended by numerous guns and machine guns skilfully sited, and the bright moonlight favoured the defence.

To assist in forcing the passage a small column from the force under Lieut.-Gen. Marshall was ferried across the Tigris in order to enfilade the enemy's position with its guns from the right bank of that river.

During the night of the 8th-9th, after an intense bombardment of the opposite bank, an attempt was made to ferry troops across the Diyala River from four separate points.  The main enterprise achieved a qualified success, the most northern ferry being able to work for nearly an hour before it was stopped by very deadly rifle and machine-gun fire, and we established a small post on the right bank.

When day broke this party of seventy of the Loyal North Lancashires had driven off two determined counter-attacks and were still maintaining themselves in a small loop of the river bend.  For the next twenty-two hours, until the passage of the river had been completely forced, the detachment held on gallantly in its isolated position under constant close fire from the surrounding buildings, trenches, and gardens, being subjected to reverse as well as enfilade fire from distant points along the right bank.

…….

On the morning of March 10th our troops were again engaged with the Turkish rearguard within three miles of Baghdad, and our cavalry patrols reached a point two miles west of Baghdad railway station, where they were checked by the enemy's fire.

A gale and blinding dust storm limited vision to a few yards, and under these conditions reconnaissance and coordination of movements became difficult.  The dry wind and dust and the absence of water away from the river added greatly to the discomfort of the troops and animals.

About midnight patrols reported the enemy to be retiring. The dust storm was still raging, but, following the Decauville Railway as a guide, our troops occupied Baghdad railway station at 5.55 a.m., and it was ascertained that the enemy on the right bank had retired upstream of Baghdad.  Troops detailed in advance occupied the city, and the cavalry moved on Kadhimain, some four miles northwest of Baghdad, where they secured some prisoners.”

 

The Parish Magazine of 27^th November 1916 reported “The following have fallen in the present fighting on various battlefields” and included “Pte. Joseph William Taylor, 20, Loyal N. Lancs., of Scotchbarn Lane, March 1917”.

 

Prescot Reporter 17th September 1917

 

Joseph Taylor’s Medal Index Card. He first served in Gallipoli before moving to Mesopotamia

Unit/Regiment	1st Bn., King's (Liverpool Regiment)
Date of Death	20/09/1914		Age at Death		26
Burial/Memorial & Reference	La Fert-Sous-Jouarre Memorial
Census Details	At 44, Ackers Street, lived Richard Thomas, a 41 year old Stoker at the Wire Factory. Also there were his wife Margaret, 35, and children Hugh (15, a Watch Case Polisher), James (13), Martha (11) and Richard (9)
Birth/Marriage/Death Registrations
SDGW – Where Born	Prescot, Lancs	Enlisted		Liverpool	Resided	Prescot, Lancs
How Died	Killed In Action			Theatre of War	France & Flanders
Notes
Research Ref. No.	P274

Service Details

James Thomas enlisted into the Army in July 1905. It is interesting to note that his number, 9313, is one up from Ernest Finney; it is likely that they were friends and enlisted on the same day. Private Thomas served 8 years in India and was a reservist at the outbreak of war. At the time he was called up, he was working in the Wire Will at the Wire Works. Whilst at home he was a footballer and had played full-back for Prescot Thursday, more recently signing for Prescot Athletic

The regimental history for the 1st Battalion states that they were quartered in Talavera Barracks in Aldershot in August 1914 and that mobilising the battalion took three days, all being "ready for anything" by 8th August. But then the reservists joined them and a further few days were spent in bringing these men up to date with items such as the new short rifle, which they had not used before.

Eventually, the battalion left Aldershot on 12th August at 6 a.m. and marched to Farnborough Station were they entrained for Southampton at 8 a.m. , arriving at 9.30. They embarked aboard the S.S. Irrawaddy and steamed away at mid-day, arriving it Le Havre at dawn the following day.

The battalion was in the midst of the fighting at Mons, and the retreat from there in late August, moving on to the Battle of the Marne in early September. It was at this point that the troops settled into what became know as Trench Warfare, digging in for the first time. The initial German assault had lost steam slightly by this time, and the regimental history records several days of inactivity. 

Early on the morning of the 20^th, patrols came in with reports that the enemy was collecting all along the front and just before dawn they attacked. To again quote from the Regimental history, “The attack was made principally against the 5^th Brigade and the King’s Regiment on the right and the 4^th Guards Brigade on the left. A large body of Germans then attacked “C” and “D” companies from across the open and through the woods, but at eighty yards from the trenches they were brought to a standstill. Firing rapidly and with fine accuracy, the King’s men gave the enemy a terrible reception and his dead and wounded soon covered the ground in large numbers. …….About 9 a.m. another attack was launched by the enemy”.

The attack was repulsed and the line held, although “A” company had been thrown back before finally repulsing the German charge.

By the night of the 20^th, the battalion lost one officer and 21 men killed, with three officers and 38 men wounded.

Private Thomas body was never identified and he is remembered on the La Fert-Sous-Jouarre Memorial to the missing.

The Prescot Reporter of November 6th, 1914 reported the following:
“
PRESCOT SOLDIER KILLED
COMRADE’S SAD NEWS CONFIRMED

The worst fears of the fate of Pte. James Thomas, son of Mr. And Mrs. Richard Thomas of 44 Ackers-street, Prescot, and a reservist of the King’s Liverpool Regiment, who rejoined his regiment at the commencement of hostilities, have, unfortunately, been confirmed.

It will be remembered that about three weeks ago, Pte. Finney of Warrington-road, Prescot, also of the King’s Liverpool Regiment, wrote home to his parents to the effect that Pte. Thomas had been killed, but Pte. Thomas’ parents up to that time had not received any intimation from the War Office. They at once communicated with the War Office asking for information and on Saturday morning received a reply stating that their son had been killed in action some weeks ago. 

The deceased was a single man, and was 26 years of age. He was employed at the B.I. and H.C. Ltd., and was well known in the town, especially in football circles. During last year he played regularly for the Prescot Thursday team and made one or two appearances with Prescot Athletic. Much sympathy has been extended to his parents and relatives”
 

The Parish Magazine of 26^th November 1914 reported “Pte. James Thomas, Ackers Street, Reservist of the 1^st King’s Liverpool, is the first Prescotian to give his life for our country. He was killed in action on September 20^th 1914.

In fact, there had already been three casualties before Pte. Thomas but notification of these deaths had not yet arrived in Prescot.

 

Prescot Reporter 14^th September 1917

Unit/Regiment	113th Siege Bty, Royal Garrison Artillery
Date of Death	25/05/1916		Age at Death
Burial/Memorial & Reference	Totland St Saviour RC Churchyard In West Part
Census Details
Birth/Marriage/Death Registrations
SDGW – Where Born	Prescot, Lancs	Enlisted		Portsmouth	Resided	St. Helens, Lancs
How Died	Died			Theatre of War	Home
Notes	Golden Hill fort, which is quite near Totland was an RGA training school, carrying out coastal defence training here. Also the western Solent was the most heavily defended stretch of water in the world at that time, all manned by RGA gunners, so Sgt. Thomas was either in transit through one of the coastal forts or in training, or possibly an instructor, but still on his units strength.
Research Ref. No.	P275

Service Details

Sergeant Thomas has no Medal Index Card at the National Archives, indicating that he probably did not see overseas service.

 

Sergeant Thomas’ grave at Totland Churchyard

Unit/Regiment	1/5th Bn, South Lancashire Regiment
Date of Death	24/04/1918		Age at Death
Burial/Memorial & Reference	Lapugnoy Military Cemetery VII E 17
CWGC Family Details (if shown)
Census Details
Birth/Marriage/Death Registrations
SDGW – Where Born	Grantham, Lincs	Enlisted		Prescot	Resided
How Died	Died of Wounds			Theatre of War	France & Flanders
Notes	Previously 4456, South Lancs Regt.
Research Ref. No.	P168