Brothers Frederick, Ernest and Albert Taylor

With one son already known to be a prisoner of war in Germany, the claim that a second son was also a prisoner after being reported missing for 15 months came as gratifying news to a Luton family.

Unfortunately, a communication from the South Staffordshire Regiment Record Office at Lichfield would ultimately prove to the inaccurate as Pte Albert George Taylor, 8459, South Staff Regiment, had been killed at Ypres on November 7th, 1914, in the same battle and on the same date that his older brother Pte Frederick Charles Taylor, 4904419, also South Staffs Regiment, was taken prisoner.

Widowed mother Sophia and young sister Mabel, then living at 42 Collingdon Street, Luton, received the news from Lichfield in March 1916. They were told that Albert, who went over to France just a month before he was killed in action, was a prisoner at the Giessen camp in Germany.

They had already sent and received messages from Frederick in the Dulmen camp in Germany who told them he was in "the best of health". Albert and Charles were born at 21 Princess Street, Luton, as was a third brother, Ernest, who had joined the Lincolnshire Regiment in November 1914 when, as part of the North Midland Division, it was stationed in Luton. Their father, greengrocer George Henry, Taylor, had died in 1905 at the age of 33. Their uncle was Mr Albert Taylor, licensee of the Foresters Arms in Windsor Street, Luton.

Ernest went to France in February 1915 and was wounded in the Battle of Loos the following September. By March 1916 he was recovered and was expecting to go back to the Front for a second time.

Frederick, born on January 29th, 1892, had enlisted at the age of 15 years nine months in October 1908, having already been employed as a labourer. He became a drummer in April 1912 while serving in Gibraltar. In January 1913 he went with his regiment to South Africa until shortly after the outbreak of war, being sent to France in October 1914 and being captured at Ypres the following month. He was at first reported as missing and, in July 1915, as a prisoner of war.

Frederick survived to rejoin his regiment and was promoted to corporal in December 1919 and to sergeant in May 1920. On December 13th, 1919, he married Elizabeth Chisholm at Christ Church, Luton, and completed his 12 years service in the Army the following year.

He died in hospital in Luton on September 5th, 1946. He had then been living at 67 Kent Road, Luton.

[Initial source: Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph, March 25th, 1916]