JN Taylor Mother Letter
At St. Margaret’s Girls’ Club
86 New Church St.
Bermondsey S.E. 16.
25.8.17
Dear Sir,
For your most kind sympathy I send you my very kind thanks. I am afraid I cannot give much more information than was given in the “Times & Telegraph” only that the former omitted to give the name of his Regiment & where he died (owing to restrictions). He was in Burma when war broke out, managing a rubber estate, he went to India & got his commission in 1915. Came to France with the 57th Wilde’s Rifles, where he saw active service on the Somme. He was sent with his Regiment to Egypt where he acted as adjutant at the Suez Canal, there he met one of the [four Lattey’s?] (of Dulwich College) who no doubt [2] you knew! In fact one took the other’s place pro tem. & if I remember rightly, I think my son spoke of it as ‘[?????]’ to the general, I cannot say if that is an accepted military term. Afterwards his Regiment was transferred to G.E.A. [German East Africa] where he had a most strenuous time. Really the descriptions from time to time have been terrible & yet he always wrote so hopefully, nobly & cheerfully even continuing the [arduous?] marches in a semi condition of dysentery – the loss of men by sickness was appalling. Often on quarter rations & without supplies. He said in July his clothes were in rags. Once when he had to give in, the hospital was a [basin?] & bed the hard ground. In July he wrote we have (reported) a million Coolies, making roads for the force through the jungle & the conditions are such, that on the march from 4am to 6pm we cover some days only 5 miles. He was lately attached to the 33rd Punjabis & was severely wounded on July 18 & died on the 27th. The India Office tell us, owing to the conditions I never get any details more than what they wired me. In 1916 he was awarded the M.C. for saving some of his men under heavy fire, & was mentioned [3] in Gen. [Smut’s?] dispatch for meritorious service – in the latter end of last year his Regt. was attached to Gen. [Smut’s?] main column for a time.
During his many years abroad he often spoke of the joy it was to meet an O.A. He was always careful to have his Dulwich tie, which he said brought him many a handshake. He was Capt. of the football team in the part of Burma where was in [(Tenas serium & Mergui??)], & introduced it when he first went. You will perhaps know he was in Mr. Rendall’s House – & won his house colours at 13 – I think it was because he left just before he was 15. As he was in the Navy class which you may also remember. I am afraid this is rather rambling – strangely enough, I have been at this Club as [????] [4] [???] for a few weeks, which is in the same parish as Mr Gilkes came to as Curate for a time after leaving Dulwich.
Have you seen service? I hope you are not suffering any ill effects. I should like a copy of the magazine. In my dear Norman’s time I remember the cover was designed by Mrs. Rendall. My son’s likeness will be in the ‘Sphere’ this week.
From
Yours sincerely
Clara Hester