TAYLOR, Owen Churchill


No.4023, Private, Owen Churchill TAYLOR
Aged 28


4th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
Killed in Action on Wednesday, 1st November 1916


Born in Cockfield in 1888 (3rd qtr Cosford 4a:651) son of Richard and Sarah TAYLOR (née DUTTON)

1891 census...Aged 2, he was at Lavemham Road, Cockfield with his father Richard C.TAYLOR [45] farm labourer; his mother Sarah E [39] born Ipswich; his half brother Reuben DUTTON [21] railway porter; brothers Edward [16] farm labourer, William [11], Walter[8], Arthur [6] and Thomas [4]; sisters Florence [13] and Annie [10 months]. All except Reuben were born in Cockfield.

1901 census...Aged 12, he was at 3 Mount Pleasant, Bury St.Edmunds with his mother; brother Arthur (jobbing gardener) and sisters Annie M [10] and Elsie E [8] born Cockfield. His father was a handyman at Beech Farm, Chelsham, Surrey

1911 census...Aged 22, a baker assisting in the business, he was at 25 Eastgate Street, Bury St.Edmunds, with baker William Chinery and his family.

His father died in 1914


He enlisted in Bury St.Edmunds.

The 4th Suffolks had moved into Trones Wood late in October, occupying some poor trenches in front of Les Boeufs. The time was spent in minor attacks, the battle of the Somme was close to its end. They made their last attack on 1st November, before moving back to the Flers line. The Battalion had been subjected to heavy artillery shelling throughout this tour of duty.
They had 21 killed on 1st November, none have an identified grave, all are named on the Thiepval Memorial.





Owen Taylor is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme pier/face 1C/2A

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


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