Arthur William Taylor
Private 20032 - 12th Bn. Highland Light Infantry
Died of wounds on Tuesday 20th June 1916
Buried in Vermelles Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais, France
Arthur William Taylor was born at Audmore in 1895 to 25-year-old labourer William
Taylor from Haughton, and his 20-year-old wife Gertrude (from Rode, Cheshire) and
baptised at St Lawrence on 22nd Sept. 1895
In 1901 the family were living at Coton; 5-year-old Arthur was at school, his father was
described as “Farm Labourer (ordinary) and there were two younger sons, Albert and
Harry.
By 1911, Gertrude had died, and her widower William was living at Shippey Farm,
Haughton, working as a farm labourer. 15-year-old Arthur was a “farm lad” and his two
younger brothers were at school.
By 1914 Arthur, and perhaps the rest of the family were living in Newport at Norbury Park
Gate, and he enlisted at Norbury.
He was sent to France in early October 1915 with the Highland Light Infantry, 12
th
(Service) Battalion and died of wounds 20 June 1916. He was awarded the 1914-5 Star,
Victory and British medals.
Arthur is buried at Vermelles Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais, France, IV. B. 8.
The record states “Son of William John Taylor, of Norbury Park Gate, Newport, Salop.”
Vermelles Cemetery
Historical Information
Vermelles was in German hands from the middle of October 1914 to the beginning of
December 1914, when it was recaptured by the French. The cemetery was begun in
August 1915 (though a few graves are slightly earlier), and during the Battle of Loos, when
the Chateau was used as a dressing station, Plot I was completed. It was laid out and
fenced by the Pioneers of the 1st Gloucesters, and known for a long time as "Gloucester
Graveyard". The remaining Plots were made by the Divisions (from the Dismounted
Cavalry Division onwards) holding the line 1.6 kilometres East of the cemetery until April
1917, and they incorporated a few isolated French graves of October 1914. From April
1917, to the Armistice, the cemetery was closed; but after the Armistice some graves were
re-grouped and others were brought in (to Plots II, IV and VI) from the battlefields to the
East.
There are now over 2134 First World War casualties commemorated in this cemetery. Of
these, 198 are unidentified and special memorials are erected to six soldiers from the
United Kingdom, known to be buried among them. This cemetery also contains the graves
of 11 casualties of other nationalities.