Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A good Great War battle of the Somme M.C. group of seven awarded to Major J. B. G. Taylor, Rifle Brigade, late Imperial Yeomanry and South African Forces

Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued, in its case of issue; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (23087 Pte. J. B. G. Taylor, 7th Coy. Imp. Yeo.); 1914-15 Star (Capt. J. B. G. Taylor, 17th M.R.), in its original card box of issue; British War and Victory Medals (Major J. B. G. Taylor); War Medal 1939-45; 3rd Yorkshire Imperial Yeomanry South Africa 1901-02 Medal (23807 J. B. G. Taylor), in its Spink & Son, London fitted case of issue, together with related forwarding letter from H.Q., Yorkshire Dragoons, Doncaster, extremely fine (7) £1600-1800

M.C. London Gazette 1 January 1917.

John Bentcliffe George Taylor, who was born in 1882, enlisted in the 7th Imperial Yeomanry in early 1901 and served in the 4th Battalion in the Boer War. Remaining in South Africa at the War’s end, he found employment on the New Cape Central Railway, and shortly after the advent of hostilities in August 1914, was commissioned in the 17th Mounted Rifles, in which capacity he participated in the invasion of German South-West Africa, where he was present at the capture of Bethany in early 1915. The campaign having reached a successful conclusion, Taylor sailed for England, where he was appointed a 2nd Lieutenant in the 13th Battalion, the Rifle Brigade, and embarked for France.

On the evening of 10 July 1916, the Battalion was ordered to launch an attack against German trenches at Ovillers, and covered 200 yards of ground before reaching the enemy third line, where 200 prisoners were taken - meanwhile the original order to attack was cancelled, but too late to avoid around 400 casualties - the C.O. and all Company Commanders among them. Notwithstanding such losses, the Battalion remained employed on the Somme, and was attached to the 63rd Royal Naval Division during a successful attack on Beaucourt Trench in mid-November. Taylor was recommended for the Military Cross.

From July to August 1917, he served as a Temporary Major and 2nd-in-command of his Battalion, which appointment he resumed in the period October-December of that year, and he remained actively employed until the War’s end, finally relinquishing his commission in October 1920, when he was permitted to retain the rank of Major. Taylor subsequently returned to South Africa, working for the newly established Benguela Railway, a career that was interrupted by the renewal of hostilities, when he was appointed a Lieutenant in the Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps. He died in 1960.