Pte 57468 Alexander (Alex) Taylor

• Age: 29
• From: Glasgow
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 28th March 1918
• Commemorated at: Pozieres Memorial
  Panel Ref: P21-23

Alexander Taylor was born in Milton, Glasgow in 1886, the eldest son of James Taylor and his wife Jane (née Austin), who married in 1886 at Kelvin, Lanark. His father was born in Ireland and his mother in England.  They had at least eight children (found on census records).  Alex (or Alec) had an older sister Elizabeth, and younger siblings Jane, Margaret, James, Sarah, William, and Richard, all born in Glasgow.

In 1891 the family is living at 27 Dean Street, Glasgow with Jane’s father, William Austin, 63, hawker, and her brothers William Austin 24 a hawker, and Richard Austin also a hawker, and sister Sarah Austin, all born in England.  His father James 28 is a hawker, mother Jane is 29, they have four children, Elizabeth 8, Alex is 4, Jane 2 and Margaret 11mths.

By 1901 they are at 45 Adelphi Street, Gorbals, Glasgow. 
The father James is aged 38, and employed as a sawmill labourer, his wife Jane is aged 37, with no occupation listed and they have two children Alexander who is aged 15, and James 8.

Unfortunately, the 1911 Scotland census is not available. 

Mother Jane remarried in 1913 to William Murdoch in Pollokshields, Glasgow.

He enlisted in Glasgow  joining the Lowland Divisional Cyclist Company as Private 1755. The amount of the War Gratuity suggests that he served for 31 months, enlisting in about August 1915. At some point he was posted to the 20th Bn King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 57468 and later transferred to the 18th Bn, probably when the 20th Bn was disbanded in February 1918.  Alex was killed in action, aged 29, on the 28^th March, 1918 during the German Spring Offensive. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial.

The POZIERES MEMORIAL relates to the period of crisis in March and April 1918 when the Allied Fifth Army was driven back by overwhelming numbers across the former Somme battlefields, and the months that followed before the Advance to Victory, which began on 8 August 1918. The Memorial commemorates over 14,000 casualties of the United Kingdom and 300 of the South African Forces who have no known grave and who died on the Somme from 21 March to 7 August 1918.

The cemetery and memorial were designed by W.H. Cowlishaw, with sculpture by Laurence A. Turner. The memorial was unveiled by Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien on 4 August 1930.

Alex was initially declared Missing. His father had died and his mother had remarried;  Mr. W. Murdock, of 18 Warwick Street, Glasgow South Side, referring to himself as Alec’s father, contacted the International Red Cross but was notified in a reply dated 10th June 1918 that they held no information.

His death was later assumed for official purposes as having occurred on 28th March 1918.

The Battalion Diary gives an insight into the chaotic events of the day

28^th March

At about 6am the enemy commenced to shell heavily the whole of the forward line and brought Trench Mortars and MACHINE Guns into action.

FOLIES was shelled and the area in the rear of the village as far back as LE QUESNEL.

Rations were received at dawn and parties were organised to carry them to the Companies on the right. Owing to the heavy fire, however, it was not possible to get them up.

Heavy fighting was in progress on the right from soon after dawn and at 8am the enemy was reported to be in possession of BOUCHOIR and progressing towards the BEETROOT FACTORY. About 10am  the 59^th Infy Brigade was notified that it was relieved by the French and the Battalions of that Brigade were at once withdrawn in the direction of LE QUESNEL.

At noon the enemy was bombarding the village and vicinity heavily and reports were received that he was in occupation of WARVILLERS on the left and ARVILLERS on the right.

The front line East of FOLIES continued to resist until about 2pm when the order was received from the 89^th Infy Brigade to the effect that the Battalions were relieved by the French and would withdraw at once to MEZIERES, where the men would be fed. Companies withdrew under some shelling and very heavy M.G. and rifle fire from the left , through K10 -K3 – North side LE QUESNEL to the main ROYE road and reorganised about D.29 c. The march from this point was conducted in good order despite the congested roads.

At MEZIERES it was decided to continue a rearward movement and the march was resumed via VILLERS-MOREUIL – MORISEL – ROUVREL, which village was reached about 7pm and the Battalion billeted. The men had marched 13 miles from the left position in good order and with practically no straggling. They were exhausted on arrival at ROUVREL, but in good heart.

Echelon ‘A’ of the Transport joined the Battalion at this village and the men were fed immediately on arrival. The night passed without incident.

His mother Jane received his Army effects and a War Gratuity of £14-10s.  The pension card shows his mother, 18 Warwick Street, Glasgow, received a dependant’s pension for Alex, and his brother James.

His brother James enlisted on 19th May 1915 and served in the 18th Highland Light Infantry, achieving the rank of Sergeant.  He was wounded in action, with a gunshot wound to the head, and discharged on 18th September 1918, aged 25, with a Silver War Badge and a 100% disability pension.

Alex is commemorated on the Scottish National War Memorial.

We currently have no further information on Alexander Taylor, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.