Lieutenant Darcy Edward Derrick TAYLOR MC
5th (Reserve) Battalion Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) and Royal Flying Corps

Date of birth: 23rd December 1894
Date of death: 30th October 1966

Died aged 71
Unknown
Darcy Edward Derrick Taylor was born at "The Rocks", Marshfield in Gloucestershire on the 23rd of December 1894 the son of Darcy Edmund Taylor, a gentleman, and Margaret Fleming (nee Fyfe-Jamieson) Taylor of The Rocks, Marshfield near Chippenham. He was christened at Marshfield on the 21st of February 1895.

He was educated at Hazelwood School until April 1909 where he was a member of the Football XI in 1908. The school magazine wrote the following on his 1908 football season; - "(Back) - Has made a great advance; his kicking is now very sound, but his tackling is still open to criticism."

He went on to Uppingham Schoolfrom May 1909 to April 1913. On leaving school he worked as an estate agent from January to August 1914.

He was commissioned as a probationary 2nd Lieutenant in the 5th (Reserve) Battalion Royal Fusiliers on the 15th of August 1914 and was confirmed in his rank on the 16th of March 1915. On the 13th of July 1915 he transferred from the 5th Battalion as a 2nd Lieutenant. He embarked for France on the 26th of May 1915.

During 1915 he was wounded slightly by shrapnel and was also knocked out for 2 hours by a bullet which went through the top of his service cap, cutting his head and causing concussion. In late 1915 he was posted to Salonica and was promoted to Lieutenant on the 17th of July 1916. He was Acting Adjutant of his battalion.

He was awarded the Military Cross in the New Years Honours List of January 1917 and was mentioned in despatches a total of four times, one of which appeared in the London Gazette of the 25th of September 1916 and one in the London Gazette of the 6th of December 1916.

He was seconded to the Royal Flying Corps and trained as a pilot. He was appointed as a Flying Officer on the 5th of October 1917 while serving with 194 Training Squadron. He was posted to 23 Training Squadron on the 11th of December 1917. He was posted to 28 Squadron based in Italy on the 13th of December 1918 and was granted a permanent commission in the Royal Air Force on the 1st of August 1919. 28 Squadron was disbanded on the 20th of January 1920 and renumbered as 114 Squadron. On the 22nd of May 1920 he was posted to Ambala in India where he joined 114 Squadron, part of the 31st Wing, which took part in operations on the North West Frontier as an Army Cooperation unit. His Royal Air Force commission was cancelled on the 9th of March 1920 when he returned to the army. During his service with the Royal Air Force he had flown the following aircraft: - Maurice Farman Shorthorn, Avro, Be2c and RE8. He was promoted to Captain on the 13th of December 1923 and later transferred to the Royal Tank Corps where he served with the 12th Armoured Car Company. He retired from the army on the 15th of August 1929.

He was married to Stella Roy (nee Taylor) at All Soul's Church, Marylebone on the 10th of October 1925; they lived at 65 St George's Road, London SW1.

Between the wars he was a motor racing enthusiast and raced at Donnington Park in the Junior Car Club 200 Mile Race in a Bugatti T51 on the 29th of August 1936 but did not finish. On the 3rd of October 1936 he took part in the Donnington Park Grand Prix driving the same car and coming 9th out of 39 starters.

On the outbreak of the Second World War he was mobilised with the rank of Captain and was appointed as Deputy Assistant Provost Marshall for the South Midland Area.
Went on to Uppingham School

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