Five: Lieutenant J. A. C. Taylor, Royal Navy, late Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, who commanded LBK4 (Landing Barge Kitchen 4) on D-Day and afterwards saw service in minesweepers

1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Naval General Service 1915-62, 2 clasps, Palestine 1945-48, Minesweeping 1945-51 (S. Lt. J. A. C. Taylor. R.N.) nearly extremely fine (5) £400-£500

John Andrew Cochrane Taylor was born in Edinburgh on 21 August 1925. He was educated at the Edinburgh Academy and enlisted into the Royal Navy on 1 March 1943, when a student. Whilst an Ordinary Seaman in H.M.S. Lochailort he was commissioned as a Midshipman in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve on 10 June 1943, and posted to H.M.S. Copra, the Combined Operations Pay Records & Accounts shore base for all Combined Operations Duties including Landing Craft. After training on H.M.S. Tennyson he was posted to the command of LBK6 and shortly afterwards to LBK4 which he took to Gold Beach on D-Day, 6 June 1944.

When the enormous scale of the D-Day invasion force became known, it was realised that many small craft operating off the landing beaches would not be equipped with a galley to prepare their own hot meals, or indeed any meals. The Landing Barge Kitchen was designed and developed to satisfy the anticipated demand. They had a capacity to provide 1,600 hot meals and 800 cold meals a day. It also had the capacity to bake fresh bread. These craft were all commanded by a young Midshipman and totalled 24 crew.

LBKs were constructed of steel with a hull 79 feet long and 21 feet wide - the proportions and characteristics of Thames lighters, including flat bottoms and a shallow draft of only 3.5 feet. Unlike the lighters or barges the LBKs were fitted with engines, so could move independently. Four ovens were installed aft of a kitchen space with stores for bulk and perishable goods forward. A ten-ton fresh water tank was fitted in the hold with additional fresh, sea water and diesel tanks on the accommodation roof. In the after section of the hull were two Chrysler petrol engines separated by a diesel tank. The engines developed a total of 130bhp giving a speed of 6 knots. The estimated endurance was 300 miles at 5 knots on 600 gallons of petrol carried in tanks fitted in the after peak.

A toilet and coal storage were provided in the forepeak, while at deck level aft was the steering shelter which, along with the various fuel tanks, was provided with 2.5-inch plastic armour. The middle section of the deckhouse above the galley was the servery area with accommodation for the one officer, aft, over the engines, and accommodation for the 24-man crew, forward over the storage areas.

H.M. LBK4 was commanded by Midshipman Taylor from 15 May to 27 August, 1944, and saw service off Gold Beach on 6 June 1944. This was part of 36th Landing Barge (Supply & Repair) Flotilla, which also included other converted Thames barges of assorted designations to provide the specialist vessels needed to form Supply & Repair (S&R) flotillas, such as Oil (LBO), Water (LBW), Emergency Repair (LBE) in addition to Flak (LBF) and Gun (LBG) Barges.    

After his service in Normandy Taylor was promoted to Acting Sub-Lieutenant on 21 February 1945, with further service in the minesweeping trawler H.M.S. Runswick Bay. Promoted to Temporary Sub-Lieutenant on 21 August 1945, he next served in H.M.S. Niger, an Algerine Class minesweeper until 25 February 1947, when he transferred to the Royal Navy as Sub-Lieutenant and to H.M.S. Truelove, another minesweeper, in which he served in Palestine. Promoted to Lieutenant on 21 August 1947, he then served in H.M.S. Fierce, minesweeping in the Aegean and Red Sea. He served in H.M.S. Barrosa from 4 August 1948 until he voluntarily went on the retired list of emergency officers on 17 June 1950.

‘Jock’ Taylor became a successful sales director after the war and died on 29 January 1973 in Alderly Edge, Cheshire. Sold with full R.N. record of service and Medal Index Card confirming WWII medal entitlement.