LEST WE FORGET
Lieutenant Harry TAYLOR MC MM
Service No: 1489
Born: Birmingham, England, May 1889
Enlisted in the Army: 17 September 1914
Unit: No. 8 (Training) Squadron, Australian Flying Corps
Awarded the Military Medal (MM)
Awarded the Military Cross (MC)
Died: Aircraft Accident, England, 18 August 1918, Aged 30 Years
Buried: Lodge Hill Cemetery, Birmingham, West Midlands
CWGC Additional Information: No additional information
Place of Association: Sydney NSW (location of enlistment)
Remembered: Panel 188, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
MC Citation (For conspicuous gallantry on duty): Whilst he was engaging enemy troops his machine was shot down and crashed in the open. On crawling out of his machine he was fired upon by enemy snipers whom he engaged with a rifle which he had picked up. He eventually made his way back to one of our patrols, carrying a badly wounded man whom he had discovered on the way. On a later occasion, when flying at 1,500 feet, he engaged an enemy two-seater, which dived steeply to the ground and crashed. He is a clever and daring pilot, and is always ready to perform any kind of duty. AIF List 353 Extract from London Gazette, 5 July 1916
On 18 August 1918, Lieutenant Taylor was killed in the crash of Sopwith Scout aircraft D4170 at Shipton Moyne, Gloucestershire. His aircraft collided in the air with Sopwith Camel C6746 aircraft flown by Second Lieutenant Douglas Abbott Ferguson.
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record B2455, TAYLOR H
National Archives UK RAF Casualty Card 286932, 279200