Prescot Roll of Honour

Service Details

Born on 21st April 1885, Thomas was one of ten children born to Hugh and Elizabeth Taylor of Shropshire, though by the time of the 1911 census, only 5 of these were still living.

The census showed the family living at Minto Street in Kensington, Liverpool, where Hugh was a Coal Dealer. Thomas was recorded as "Not Working".

After the outbreak of war, Thomas William Taylor attested for military service with the Yorkshire Light Infantry on 7th September 1914 but transferred to the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve at Crystal Palace on 10th of the same month. He was posted to Anson Battalion of the Royal Naval Division on 22nd October 1914.

An online history of the Gallipoli campaign reports, 'On 6th May 1915, just before noon, the second battle of Krithia started. Some minutes after the troops had left their trenches, they were greeted by Turkish fire that made any real progress impossible : the 88th Brigade only managed to occupy Fir Tree Wood and the French advance was completely checked after a few hundred yards. At the end of the first day of the offensive, even the Turkish advanced battle posts were still intact. '

(http://users.skynet.be/Gallipoli/hist/his5_3.htm)

25 men of Anson Battalion were amongst the 254 men who died that day. None of the 25 has a marked grave and they are all remembered on the Helles Memorial at Gallipoli.

Thomas' next of kin was his sister, Mrs Wright, of Methuen Street, Wavertree, Liverpool.

His death was reported in the Liverpool Echo on 26th July 1915, and this report included the fact that he was employed at the Wire Works in Prescot. The Echo item mistakenly had his initials as 'J W'.

The item in the Liverpool Echo reporting Thomas' death