10702 Company Serjeant Major (Mentioned in Despatches)
‘A’ Company, 7th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders, 26th Infantry Brigade, 9th (Scottish) Division
Age: 28
Date of Death: 8.12.15
Buried: Railway Dugouts Burial Ground (Transport Farm) I.D.10
Family history: Husband of Eliza Taylor, 4 George Terrace, Camelon. They had two children. Son of James and Elizabeth Taylor, 6 Sunnyside Road, Camelon. Prior to enlisting he was employed as a moulder at the R & A Main Iron Foundry.
The action that lead to his death
The Division was holding the line in the area known as The Bluff and the distance between the trenches was anything from 25 yards to 400 yards. The Bluff rose steeply from the ground on the north side of the Canal and completely dominated the sector. The Divisional front was some 5,000 yards in length which was a large distance for one division to hold.
(Linesman Map)
On the 8 December the battalion had relieved the 5th Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders and were subjected to shelling which wounded one officer and killed James. He was Mentioned in Despatches on 30 November 1915 for gallant and distinguished service in the field. The War Diary records his death:
A fellow Serjeant wrote to his wife:
(From the Falkirk Herald)
His company commander wrote to his wife:
(From the Falkirk Herald)
Headstone
Medals Awarded:
1915 Star, The British War Medal, Victory Medal
