Percy Taylor

Private 204164. 1st/5th Battalion. Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment.

Born: 1898.

Son of the late James and Livia Atkinson (formerly Taylor).

Brother of George William, Firth, Mary Hannah, Clara, Fred and Sarah Ellen.

Address: 3 Hanging Royd, Wellhouse, Golcar.

Occupation: Fettler at John Lockwood & Sons, Milnsbridge.

Enlisted: September 1916. Embarked for France on 28th December 1916.

Killed in action: 7th August 1917. Aged 19.

Buried at Coxyde Military Cemetery, Belgium. Plot 2. Row E. Grave 28.

Percy lost his life in the same attack as George Haigh, also from Golcar, when their dugout came under heavy enemy bombardment. 22 Lives were lost, all efforts were made to get the bodies out, but only five were recovered.

Percy's father was 14 years older than his mother and had died by 1911, and at some time before 1917 his mother had remarried. Harry was the 7th of 9 children who all worked in the textile industry. His brother Fred was also killed in the war.

Percy was a member of Wellhouse Liberal Club and Slaithwaite Harriers. He Attended Wellhouse United Methodist Sunday School. His name is on the Roll of Honour in St. John's Church, Golcar, and Scapegoat Hill Baptist Church.

1/5th Battalion War Diary

August 7th 1917

A Comparatively quite day until evening.

Between 7.15pm and 8.15pm the enemy heavily bombarded Battalion H.Q. at M.28 C8.8 with guns of heavy calibre. A Brigade Ammunition Dump and Battalion Dump were both blown up causing considerable damage. Both entrances to the H.Q. Officer's Quarters were blocked and communications completely disconnected. The house being built by the French and being of concrete stood the bombardment well and no one inside was injured. Outside all out buildings and dugouts in the vicinity were smashed. 22 of the H.Q. personnel includ-ing the Regimental Sergeant Major, Pioneer Sergeant and Scout Sergeant were found to be missing and were undoubtedly killed.

During the night the No. 4 Company relieved No. 3 Company in the left front line.

August 8th 1917

At 1am the 1/6th West Riding Regiment made a successful raid on the enemy trench in M.22 b.

Raiding party had no difficulty in entering the enemy front line and captured five prisoners and one Machine Gun. Of the prisoners captured three belonged to the 1st M.G. Company, 114th Infantry Regiment and two to the 3rd Battalion, 114th Infantry Regiment. The enemy relation was feeble. Remainder of the day was comparatively quiet.

The large dugout at Battalion H.Q. which was blown up on the day previous contained the bodies of Sergeant Major, Pioneer Sergeant etc. - 22 in all. Efforts were made to get the bodies but only five were recovered.

August 9th 1917

At 1.30am we carried out a gas projector attack on LOMBARTZYDE village, GROOT FARM and NIEUWENDAMME FORT together with gas attacks on the 66th Divisional Front (Division on our left). The Divisional Artillery co-operated. The enemy retaliated heavily on our forward defences between 2.30am and 5.00am. The larger dugout at Battalion H.Q. had to be sealed up and a large cross placed over it with the names of all those killed painted on it.

Many enemy aeroplanes were over our lines during the day. Aerial activity was very marked throughout the day. Enemy much quieter all day than for some time past. At night the Battalion was relieved in the left sector of the LOMBARTZYDE SECTOR by the 1/7th West Riding Battalion. The night was a fairly quiet one and the relief was carried through without much difficulty. Relief was completed by 2.00am, August 10th.