From Balloonatic to Surgeon: Wm. Thomas Taylor

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear All,

Always on the lookout - not just for medals, but for so-called Gallantry, plus the elusive Image, together with a Good Story - I secured an OBE (Civ), BWM (LIEUT. W. T. TAYLOR, R.F.C.), Victory (LIEUT. W. T. TAYLOR, R.F.C.), and WWII stars and medals. 

A Kite Balloon Officer, ca. 1916-18, it is known that William Thomas Taylor was born on 17 May 1895.

Apparently his Great War serving dates were 24 Sep 1914 to 18 Feb 1919, indicating (medals impressed RFC rather than RAF) that he joined the Kite Balloon Service later than 1916, and left earlier than 1 Apr 1918.

Nothing more is known of his pre-1930 Career at this stage (but a number of Great War Forum experts may well rectify this!).

Suffice to say that he - perhaps Irish - qualified M.B., B.Ch. (BELF.), prior to joining the Indian Medical Service (IMS) on 4 Feb 1930 (1st Appointment 7 Mar 1938).

Second War service resulted in an OBE (Civ) as Lt.-Col. and Deputy Director-General, IMS (Stores), in the 6 Jun 1947 Birthday Honours - an "End of Raj" handshake (off-topic!).

A Goodie to that GWF aficionado who finds that elusive Image, please!

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[DavidOwen]

Kim

 

It is not an image, yet, but was this your man? Image courtesy FMP, Irish Times 31st May 1961

 

David

 

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear David,

How clever of you to have found his death on a Dublin bus, a couple of weeks after William Thomas Taylor's 66th Birthday.

Many thanks, indeed: much appreciated!

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[alf mcm]

Kim,

  He was indeed irish.

 

His birth certificate in Belfast ;- https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/details-civil/e62bbc9814302?b=https%3A%2F%2Fcivilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie%2Fchurchrecords%2Fcivil-perform-search.jsp%3Fnamefm%3Dwilliam%26namel%3Dtaylor%26exact%3D%26name2fm%3D%26name2l%3D%26location%3D%26yyfrom%3D1894%26yyto%3D1896%26type%3DB%26century%3D%26decade%3D%26sort%3D%26pageSize%3D100%26ddBfrom%3D%26mmBfrom%3D%26yyBfrom%3D%26ddMfrom%3D%26mmMfrom%3D%26yyMfrom%3D%26ddDfrom%3D%26mmDfrom%3D%26yyDfrom%3D%26ddPfrom%3D%26mmPfrom%3D%26yyPfrom%3D%26ddBto%3D%26mmBto%3D%26yyBto%3D%26ddMto%3D%26mmMto%3D%26yyMto%3D%26ddDto%3D%26mmDto%3D%26yyDto%3D%26ddPto%3D%26mmPto%3D%26yyPto%3D%26locationB%3D%26locationM%3D%26locationD%3D%26locationP%3D%26keywordb%3D%26keywordm%3D%26keywordd%3D%26keywordp%3D%26event%3D%26district%3DBelfast%26submit%3DSearch

 

This is William in 1901;- http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Court_Ward/Clifton_Street/934388/

 

This is William in 1911;- http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Clifton/Clifton_Park_Avenue/144877/

 

RFC/RAF service began as a Lieutenant on 26th March 1918 at 7 Balloon Wing.

He was Liutenant R.A.F from 1st April 1918, and was made Acting Captain the same day.

William left the R.A.F. on 19th February 1919, and was allowed to retain the rank of Captain. {details from service record}

 

This is his 1961 death certificate;-  https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/details-civil/40672c2936855?b=https%3A%2F%2Fcivilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie%2Fchurchrecords%2Fcivil-perform-search.jsp%3Fnamefm%3Dwilliam%26namel%3Dtaylor%26location%3D%26yyfrom%3D1961%26yyto%3D1961%26type%3DD%26submit%3DSearch

 

Regards,

 

Alf McM

 

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear Alf,

Many thanks for your dilligent searching - most helpful indeed!.

I am especially excited at your having identified 7 Balloon Wing RFC - joined 26 Mar 1918.

However, I find it somewhat puzzling that his BWM and Victory were impressed Lieut., RFC, when he served until 1919 with the RAF (Capt.).

I attach his medals for General interest...

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear All,

Apparently he began Service with 8 Bn Royal Irish Rifles (?) - but I have been told that his Medal Index Card cannot be found (?). Help needed, there...AIR-76-498-150.pdf

27 Apr 1917 London Gazette: appointed as Balloon Officer; 26 Jul 1917 London Gazette: appointed as Balloon Commander; 3 Jun 1918 London Gazette: appointed as E.O 1 (Equipment Officer?). 22 Aug 1917 Invalided. 

17 months Signal Officer in the Royal Irish Fusiliers; 1st Class D (?) Instructor, Aldershot.

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[alf mcm]

Kim,

  His RAF service record is available for free download, once you register. from T.N.A. Don't know if it's free from Germany!  https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8233195

 You can see the record through the viewer. It also shows that he served in the 8th Royal Irish Rifles.

 

His 8 RIR service may not be on a medal record card because he didn't serve abroad at that time.

 

Regards,

 

Alf McM

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear Alf,

Many thanks for that.

There is simply no beating the Great War Forum: a genial idea and peopled with clever and generous members. Super!

I assumed the W. T. Taylor MIC had simply Gone Walkabout - however the fact that he may not have gone abroad with 8 Irish, is certainly a possibility.

The sometimes cryptic RFC/RAF papers - three sheets - mentioned 17 months Signal Officer with Royal Irish Fusiliers; also 1st Class "D" Instructor, Aldershot...

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[seaJane]

Kim, 

I have found a William T Taylor in the RIR but only a private and I am not at all convinced https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D5507443 - can't see battalion for a start. Still, for what it's worth I offer him.

 

sJ

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear seaJane,

How kind of you to search around for me! I am in sw Germany sans Ancestry, etc., tools - but will ask my researcher in London, a la longue, to beam me the Pte Taylor MIC.

Meanwhile, I attach scans of the erstwhile T/Capt W. T. Taylor's RFC/RAF papers.

These are tantalizingly difficult to decipher in part. However, Balloon Officer and Balloon Commander sounds encouragingly important!

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[DavidOwen]

Kim

 

His MIC at TNA lists his time as a Lieutenant in the Royal Irish Fusiliers (not Rifles) which is as per his RAF record states. This should also be available from Ancestry for free.

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D5507463

 

His Royal Irish Fusiliers service file might be this one at TNA also (but not yet digitised of course) https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C1070206 - interesting to note the "1930" in the description?

 

Still looking for the picture...

 

David

 

 

[DavidOwen]

Image courtesy Ancestry, free access

 

 

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear David,

My sincere thanks!

How brilliant of you to find the "fair dinkum" W. T. Taylor Medal Index Card - my friend Noel in Australia having found a very similar one (which is always on the cards when dealing with a common-sounding name!).

Meanwhile, even more concrete evidence has emerged (thanks, Dick!), in the form of Taylor's entry in a Gradation list of the Indian Medical Service (attached).

An Image of that gallant and capable Irishman will be the icing on the cake!

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[DavidOwen]

Kim

 

That MIC in your post is I think for a different officer? https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C737641

 

Regards

 

David

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear David,

Yes, as I intimated in the text, it was demonstrated just how easy it is to get such documents confused, especially with such a common name.

At first glance the W. T. Taylor MIC seemed right, although his parent unit and the home address did not add up. Therefore my relief was great, when you discovered the "real McCoy" - for which many thanks!

But what did he look like...? 

At the risk of repeating myself: a Goodie will be posted to the diligent Great War Forum member who can provide me with that elusive W. T. Taylor Image (please!).

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear All,

Jane's connections have ascertained that our photographically elusive William Thomas Taylor was at Queen's University, Belfast, from 1919-24. 

I assume, being a medical layman, that during this time he did his M. B. (Bachelor of Medicine), and that in the years following  - until he was appointed on 4 Feb 1930 as a Captain (with seniority from 11 Sep 1938), to the Indian Medical Service - he did his Ch. B. (Bachelor of Surgery) and B. A. O. (Bachelor of Obstetrics) at a hospital or perhaps hospitals.

Sadly, Queen's University did not archive photographs of their medical candidates. Therefore, the search continues...

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[charlie962]

Have you dismissed this man ? --he fits the medical man's details you got from Dick.

 

CasualtyForm courtesy RAF Museum:

 

charlie

 

Looks like he was an Observer in 10 Sqdn, before going to Balloons ? This seems to be distinct from 10 KB section and 10 Balloon School.

I note he was Trf'd to General List 8/4/17.

Edited 6 May , 2020 by charlie962

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear Charlie,

This is a very important find, inasmuch as only a smattering of the detail was apparent in the W. T. Taylor RFC/RAF papers.

Many thanks. Super!

I must check what No. 10 Sqn entailed. Obs would be a possibility. Then perhaps he responded to a need for Kite Balloon Officers?

The Transfer to the General List in 1917 is of interest (I can't find the page: his name is unfortunately a common one with unimaginative first names, too). Perhaps having severed ties with the Royal Irish Fusiliers?

Presently I am enjoying re-reading "Memoirs of an Old Balloonatic" by the erudite Goderic Hodges (Kimber, 1972). Hodges, a son of the Manse, was a Balloon Section Commander and was severely wounded, losing a leg. One of Hodges' fellow Balloonatics was the much-admired "Blot" (Lieut Thomas Gerald Glynn Bolitho, whose MC Citation is L.G. page 30023 of 17 Apr 1917 - although I have failed to find it!).

Apparently the deserving Hodges was not decorated (perhaps a Mention?), which demonstrates how difficult it was to be awarded ANY sort of medal in those days…!

Kindest regards,

Kim.

Edited 6 May , 2020 by Kimberley John Lindsay
Bolitho's first name was Thomas

[topgun1918]

Lt. Thomas Gerald Glynn Bolitho, R.F.C., Spec. Res.

 

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when his balloon was attacked by a hostile aeroplane.  He saw his observer safely out, and then descended by parachute himself.  He has at all times set a fine example, and has done much to preserve a high standard of efficiency in his section.

 

Graeme

 

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear Graeme,

Thanks for the Citation for the much-admired "Blot" Bolitho. I had clicked on The Gazette online and put in his full Name, but to no avail!

Likewise with W. T. Taylor or William Thomas Taylor - despite the fact that Balloonatic Lieut (A/Capt) W. T. Taylor was listed in the L. G. several times, For example 8-4-1917: 'To be Balloon Commander' (see the Casualty Report above)...

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[topgun1918]

Hello Kim,

 

Bolitho's MC citation is actually on page 3679 of London Gazette number 30023.  If you can't find it online, give me a shout and I can e-mail the gazette, as a .pdf file, to you.

 

Bolitho was also awarded the DFC as per the London Gazette of 1 January 1919, hence no citation other than "His Majesty the KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the undermentioned rewards to Officers and other ranks of the Royal Air Force, in recognition of distinguished service :—".

 

Graeme

 

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear All,

I would just like to reiterate that a photo/Image of erstwhile Royal Irish Fusilier, Balloonatic (RFC), and medical doctor turned Indian Medical Service luminary, will be rewarded without fail by a Goodie.

This so-called Goodie will come from my long-standing Military bookshelves...

Kindest regards,

Kim.

 

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear Graeme,

After a lot of fiddling with the online London Gazette, I finally found the Lieut. William Thomas Taylor entry as a Balloon Commander, to date 8 April 1917 - at the 26 July 1917 London Gazette, page 7595.

That 8 April 1917 date is also the notice of his transfer from the Royal Irish Fusiliers to the General List, at the 27 April 1917 London Gazette, page 4035.

He was a Lt., RFC dated 27 August 1916, but I failed to find that (!)...

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear All,

His interesting entry (with OBE) in the End of Raj Aug 1947 Indian Army Special Edition List, showed that Lt-Col W. T. Taylor - proficient in Urdu - was on leave.

This was a rather elegant End of Innings at the age of 52, and one presumes he went back to Dublin - to practice or not to practice, that is the Question?

The British Library has not yet re-started its engines, to my Knowledge, but when that occurs, I will ask all and sundry to look for his Papers. not to Mention a possible Indian Medical Service, Bombay, Group Photograph. (Had I know his Old School I would have asked, there, too.)

A Goodie for his Image! What sort of Goodie? One out of my personal Military bookshelves, namely...

Kindest regards,

Kim.

Edited 2 June , 2020 by Kimberley John Lindsay

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear All,

I found the London Gazette entry which showed his retirement date as 6 August 1949. 

One wonders whether he was employed under the Special List (Ex-Indian Army) British Army?

It is off-topic, but In that case he would have come full circle from 1914 Royal Irish Rifles commission to 1949 Medical Service...

Kindest regards,

Kim.30 Sep 1949 retires Medical Service.pdf