TAYLOR Horace

Appears in the Worcester/Worcestershire Roll of Honour Book for army casualties located in Worcester Cathedral under Hampton casualties, 203464 The Royal East Surrey Regiment.

Evesham Journal and Four Shires Advertiser, 9th September 1918:
HAMTON MAN KILLED IN ACTION
Mrs. Horace Taylor, of 9, New-road, Great Hampton, has received a letter from the Captain of the East Surrey Regiment, informing her that her husband, Pte. Horace Taylor, of the East Surrey Regiment, had been killed in action.  He writes: -“The Field, 8-9-18. Dear Mrs. Taylor, – The sad task falls to me of telling you that your husband, Pte. H. Taylor, was killed in action on September 4.  I am truly sorry for you, but a few words on paper express very little, and cannot comfort you much in so great a sorrow. Please accept my heartfelt sympathy. – I am yours sincerely G.P. Cooke, Capt., E. Surrey Regt.” Pte. H. Taylor was in the employ of Mr. H. Cooper as a painter for many years, and joined the forces on May 31, 1916.  He was in training in England till March, 1917, when he went to France, being wounded in May, and was brought back to England.  He returned to France in September, and was again wounded.  His regiment was drafted to Italy in October 1917, and returned to France on March 6 of this year, and he was again wounded on March 25.  He wrote his last letter to his wife on September 1, in which he stated that he hoped to be home on leave shortly. During the time he has been abroad he did not meet any man he knew.  He leaves a widow (who is a daughter of Mr. Fred Day, Great Hampton) and three young children, the eldest being seven years old.  Mrs. Taylor has a brother a prisoner in Germany, and another serving in Salonika.  As a lad Pte. Taylor was for several years a member of All Saints Church Choir, Evesham, and later an enthusiastic member of St. Joseph’s Guild.

(Horace married Bertha Day in 1910.  He was the son of Charles and Maria Taylor.)

The following information has been researched by Sandra Taylor:
Evesham Journal and Four Shires Advertiser, 18th January 1919, the following concludes a report on the death of Driver Frederick Day:
Pte Horace Taylor of Hampton, was killed in action on September 4 last, leaving a widow (Mr. and Mrs. A.J. Day’s eldest daughter) and three young children.

A photograph of Private H. Taylor of Hampton can be found in Berrow’s Worcester Journal Supplement, Saturday 5th October 1918, available at Worcestershire Archives.

Horace Taylor has no known grave, the photograph available shows his name on Tyne Cot Memorial.