TAYLOR, Robert


No.5244, Private, Robert TAYLOR
Aged 24


1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
also 15th Battalion, Mounted Infantry
Died from lightning strike on 10th November 1901

It is not always possible to match the soldier with the civilian with these Boer War casualties.
That means I can only record "most likely to be" in many cases for the civilian identity


Robert TAYLOR was born in 1877 (4th qtr 1877 Mildenhall 4a:555) son of Samuel and Emma TAYLOR (née PITCHES)

1881 census...Aged 3, he was at West Row with his father Samuel TAYLOR [34] farm labourer; his mother Emma [33]; brothers Samuel [10] and John[1]; sisters Esther [8]and Joanna[6]. All were born in West Row.

1891 census...Aged 13, a farm labourer, he was still in West Row with his parents; brothers Samuel (farm labourer), Isaac [11] and Charles [1]; sisters Alice, Matilda [9], Edith [7] and Bessie [4]. All born in West Row.

His younger brother Charles died in Belgium in 1917 see here


He must have enlisted with Leopold Soames as their numbers are consecutive. Leopold enlisted in Mildenhall on 19th November 1898

Robert was struck by lightning and killed at HOLFONTEIN near Senekal


His Queens South Africa medal carries the clasps for Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal and South Africa 1901



Commemorated on his brother Isaac's grave

Robert Taylor is commemorated on the plaque in St.Mary's Church, Mildenhall
also Cornhill. Statue. Bury St Edmunds and St Mary.Bury St Edmunds, North aisle west end. Suffolk Regiment Tablet.
and Christchurch Park. Statue. Ipswich


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