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Remembered Today:

21st Battalion London Regt., A War Record of...


daggers

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Does anyone have access to a copy of the published 'War Record...' of 1st Surrey Rifles? I am trying to establish the first names of Captain N.A. Taylor, perhaps Norman Austin, who won an MC and was buried at Etaples. Anything else of note from the book would also be useful.

Daggers

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London Gazette 14-9-1914 number 28922 to be 2nd L/t wef 2-10-1914. London Gazette number 29837 published 24-11-1916 Bar to his MC " For conspicuous gallantry in action. Although wounded he continued with the attack and led his company with great courage and initiative" MC awarded L/G 24/6/16. Cannot find his first award though. Ralph.

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Ralph

Thanks for the info. No bar to MC on the CWGC entry, but I shall get the bloodhound out of his kennel and pursue...

D

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From the book,

The attack on Givenchy, May 25, 1915.

The state of affairs in the captured trenches was now indescribable, and such men as were left set to work to build up the defences so as to be able to ward off any counterattack which might develop. The men of 'D' Company on the right had received a little better treatment than their comrades of 'B', and their two leading platoons (Lieutenants N.A. Taylor and Tooth) were fighting, together with the 23rd Battalion, to frustrate the frequent atempt by the German bombers to regain possession of their old trenches.

The dawn of May 26, 1915, revealed the extent of the situation. Both, to the left and right the ground was not secure. Finally it was discovered that a body of the enemy was still holding out on our left flank (and in the rear of us) and that this party was inflicting heavy casualties on us! In carrying out this adjustment of our line, Lieutenant Taylor and his men first had to overcome the resistance of this body of the enemy, forcing them to retire onto a section of the 8th London Battalion, with whom we thus gained touch on our left.

During the German Spring Offensive.

Soon after daylight on the 25th, the Battalion was ordered to occupy and hold the old trench in front of the Contalmaison-Pozieres road, and we started deepening and clearing and putting the trench in a state of defence. The front companies had not got away without a fight, and Captain N.A. Taylor was mortally wounded; he had not been long back with the Battalion, and was sadly missed by everybody.

Listed as 2nd LT in the book, so I would say he was this rank when the MC and bar were awarded. He is listed as a Captain in the Roll of Honour.

MC 8/6/16

Bar 6/11/16

Cheers Andy.

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