Private James Taylor M.M.

Private James Taylor, M.M. 12th ( Service )Battalion, Royal Scots. He was killed in action on 25th April 1918 during the German Spring offensive on the River Lys. He was the husband of Janet Cockburn Gow Taylor of Burnside Cottage, Coldingham and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, Belgium. He fell in the overwhelming German assault in the Mont Kemmel sector when the Battalion was all but destroyed on this disastrous battlefield. From the 21st-27th April casualties were I Officer and 3 men killed with3 Officers and 54 men wounded. In addition 14 Officers and 502 men were posted missing. ( Missing usually meant dead although there may have been some prisoners). After this the Battalion was disbanded and the survivors dispersed among other Battalions of the Regiment. The photographs show British troops behind makeshift defences awaiting further German advances.