Private, No 32072 6th Kings own Royal Lancaster Regiment.
Lived 2 Ivy Grove, Burnley Road, Rawtenstall.
Died of Spotted Fever, 7th of April 1917, aged 22.
Commemorated on Kirkee 1914-1918 War Memorial, India.
The Family Headstone in Providence Graveyard
Bert or Bertie as he was also known at one time also lived at 2 Ivy Grove Rawtenstall, as did his brother Tom Harry. Bert enlisted at Preston into the 6th Battalion Kings Own Royal Lancashire’s serving at first in the Pay Office and then volunteering for India, (as did his brother the following year) where he contracted a fatal disease that would ultimately end his life on the 7th of April 1917.
The then notable J.P. Mr. Compston wrote to the Rossendale Free Press respecting the sad death of Private Bert Taylor of the Kings Royal Lancashire’s, saying… that at the weekend came the sad news to Mr and Mrs J.J. Taylor of Burnley Road Rawtenstall, that their son Bert at 22 years of age had died in Hospital at Colabo, Bombay India on April 7th of the very fatal spotted fever, and the anniversary sermons at Providence Chapel Loveclough were saddened thereby, the deceased having long been a scholar at the Sunday School. Of the half hundred young men from that small school who are in the King’s Services, Bert Taylor is the first to have fallen.
For some time he had been at Preston and was much liked by his Officers and was placed in the Pay Office, later, a contingent was wanted for India and Bert Volunteered to go. Somehow he there contracted the dreaded disease mentioned, and though everything was done for him that could be, he finally succumbed. Two of the Nursing Sisters wrote letters to Mr. and Mrs. Taylor, saying how grieved they all were at the death of one who had become a great favourite on the ward, which was served by the Australian Army Nursing Service.
Manifestly Bert Taylor had profited by what he had learnt at Sunday School, and calmly met death in peaceful confidence, requesting that a curl of his hair should be sent to his mother. This request was complied with, the curl, after disinfection, and having been neatly tied up in a bit of blue ribbon, came duly to land. There are besides the Parents four sisters, and also one brother, Private Thomas Henry Taylor in the Army Motor Services in London, though now over here on a very short leave.
Wide circles of friends lament Bertie Taylor’s death and offer their sincere sympathy to the family…. Possibly Bert’s Body was cremated as he has no known grave but is commemorated on the 1914-1918 War Memorial at Khadki (Kirkee) which is situated on a Plateau between Bombay and Poona, access is by train to Poona from Bombay India.
