TAYLOR, John

Jack Taylor was born in Lye and attended Wollescote school. He was married to Sarah and in 1915 was living at 49 Crabbe Street, Wollescote. He had served in the Worcesters before 1914 and it is likely that he volunteered at the age of 41 to rejoin his old regiment. He went to the 2nd Battalion and probably fought in the Retreat from Mons, the battle of the Aisne and at Gheluvelt in the First Battle of Ypres. The battalion was at Festubert in the Artois Spring battles of 1915 and then fought at Loos in September. This was the heaviest attack to that date for the British army. On the 25th the Worcesters remained behind the main advance. On the next day they were ordered to lead the defence against a German counter-attack on The Quarries. There was little preparation for the men and the action was an expensive failure. Half of the battalion were casualties and among the dead was Private Jack Taylor. He was 42 years of age and is commemorated on the Loos, Lye and Wollescote, Lye church and Wollescote school Memorials.