Pte 22268 Ernest Taylor

• Age: 21
• From: Tottenham
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Ernest Taylor was born in Tottenham, London on the 18th December 1894, the son of David John Taylor and Julia (nee Stedall), who were married on the 5th April 1887 at Christ Church, Mitcham. David was a 21 year old matchmaker of Mitcham, father David John a chemical light maker, whilst Julia was aged 19 of Merton, father Thomas a corn meter(inspector). His father was from Battersea and his mother from Middlesex. They had 14 children, two of whom died young.  Ernest was the eldest son. He had older sisters Alice, Florence, and Clara, and younger siblings Helen, David, Jessie, Olive, Doris, Frederick, Beatrice, and Thomas. Ernest was baptised on 5th March 1897 in St. Mary’s, Summerstown, Wandsworth, his parents’ address given as 22 Maskell Road, and father’s occupation as operative in match factory. 

Ernest enlisted in Liverpool on 05^th November 1914, as Private 22268, joining the 20^th (Pals) Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment, giving his age as 19 years and 330 days, and his occupation as steward. He was described as being 5’ 6” tall, weighing 124lbs, 36” chest, with blue eyes and brown hair. He stated his religion as Church of England and his next of kin as his father David Taylor, at 6 Agincourt Street, Heywood, Lancashire.

Formed in November 1914 the 20^th Battalion were originally billeted at Tournament Hall, Knotty Ash before on 29^th January 1915 they moved to the hutted accommodation purposely built at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 20th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. 

Ernest shipped to France with his battalion, disembarking at Boulogne on 07^th November 1915.  A photograph shows him in A Company, 1 Platoon. 

By the summer of 1916 the Pals battalions were in the front lines at Maricourt.  Ernest survived the fighting at the Somme until 30^th July, when three Pals battalions are involved in the failed attack on the German-held village of Guillemont.  With 500 casualties, this is the darkest day for the Pals battalions.  Ernest was one of the many killed in action that day.  His body was never recovered from the battlefield, or was subsequently lost, he has no known grave, and is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.

The 20^th King’s Battalion Diary records:

“At 4.45am prompt the attack was launched. Unfortunately, a thick mist prevailed and it was impossible to see more than 10 yards ahead. This continued until about 6 o’clock when it lifted slightly, but it was still too hazy and impossible to see what was happening 100 yards ahead. This being so, it was not surprising to find that the attacking waves were experiencing great difficulty in maintaining connection.”

At 6am, Lt. RE Melly, No.1 Company, reported that his men had taken the German Maltz Horn trench.

At 6.30am, 2/Lt. CP Moore reported that he had 150 men, 4 Stokes Mortars and 2 Lewis Guns, but he was the only officer. He also said that due to the fog, both his “flanks were in the air” i.e. he was not in contact with neighbouring troops.

At 9.10am, Moore was still not in contact at his flanks, and now he had only 75 men, he had sent out 2 patrols and neither not returned. Later Moore established communication with the French on his right.

Around 10.00am, 2/Lt Musker reported that he had just over a company with him, but his left flank was suffering from German machine gun fire. Later he reported that he had over 30 casualties from the machine gun fire. His flanks were also “in the air”. No contact was made with this party until the remnants returned around 9.30pm, all runners sent were killed or missing. The War Diary states that this group had: ”held the ground won all day, and this permitted the consolidation of the ground won on the Maltz Horn ridge with little interference from the enemy”.

Relief for 20/Kings had been planned for 11.00pm, but it was 5.00am on the 31st July before it took place, ending a tragic day for the Liverpool Pals.

Casualties for 20^th Battalion were 16 Officers and 357 Other Ranks

When darkness fell on the battlefield the 30^th Division held a line from the railway on the eastern side of Trones Wood , southwards and including Arrow Head Copse, to east of Maltz Horn Farm. On this line the division was relieved by the 55^th Division during the early hours of the 31^st July.

The events of 30^th July 1916 were regarded at the time as Liverpool’s blackest day. There follows an extract from The History of the 89^th Brigade written by Brigadier General Ferdinand Stanley which gives an indication of the events of the day.

Guillemont

Well the hour to advance came, and of all bad luck in the world it was a thick fog; so thick that you couldn’t see more than about ten yards. It was next to impossible to delay the attack – it was much too big an operation- so forward they had to go. It will give some idea when I say that on one flank we had to go 1,750 yards over big rolling country. Everyone knows what it is like to cross enclosed country which you know really well in a fog and how easy it is to lose your way. Therefore, imagine these rolling hills, with no landmarks and absolutely unknown to anyone. Is it surprising that people lost their way and lost touch with those next to them? As a matter of fact, it was wonderful the way in which many men found their way right to the place we wanted to get to. But as a connected attack it was impossible.

The fog was intense it was practically impossible to keep direction and parties got split up. Owing to the heavy shelling all the Bosches had left their main trenches and were lying out in the open with snipers and machine guns in shell holes, so of course our fellows were the most easy prey.

It is so awfully sad now going about and finding so many splendid fellows gone.

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

Ernest earned his three medals.  

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