| NOTE: There remains a major inconsistency with Robert Taylor's age. The 1901 census result which is listed gives his age as 22, meaning he was 37 when he died in 1916. The CWGC give his age as 23 when he died.
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| Robert Thomas Taylor was the son of William Taylor and Rachel Taylor (nee Crooks?).
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| Robert was born about 1879 in either Drumglass, Co Tyrone or Cookstown.
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| Family: William Taylor, Rachel Taylor, Robert Thomas Taylor (born about 1879), Lizzie Taylor (born about 1881), Cissie Taylor (born about 1884), Charles Taylor (born about 1886), Jane Taylor (born about 1889), William Taylor (born about 1892).
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| The 1901 census lists 'Thomas' as age 22 living with the family at house 95 in Church Street Cookstown. Robert Thomas Taylor was a carpenter, as was his father.
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| Robert Taylor was a member of Moygashel L.O.L. 708.
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| Robert Taylor was a section leader of B Company, Dungannon Battalion, Ulster Volunteer Force.
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| 1914
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| Robert married Letitia Robb in Dungannon Presbyterian Church on 13th April 1914. Robert and his wife lived in Moygashel. The 1911 census lists a Letitia Robb, age 25, living in Moygashel Town.
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| Robert Taylor enlisted in Dungannon.
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| Private Robert Taylor arrived in France with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers on 2nd November 1914.
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| 1915
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| In the summer of 1915, Private Robert Taylor, 2nd Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, was wounded on the breast and hand by a large shell, which burst about five yards from him and threw him a considerable distance against a tree.
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| From the Tyrone Courier dated 25th March 1915:
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| A pathetic incident arising out of the death of Captain the Hon. Viscount Northland, 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards, who was killed in action at La Bassee on 1st February, is mentioned in letters just received from Corporal John Johnston, machine-gun section of the 2nd Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, and Private Robert Taylor, of the same battalion. They had been former section leaders in the Dungannon U.V.F., of which Lord Northland had been the popular commanding officer, and they mention in their letters that they had sought out his grave in a French cemetery near La Bassee and had planted flowers on it.
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| From the Belfast Newsletter dated 24th May 1915:
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| Private Robert Taylor, 2nd Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, has written to his wife at Moygashel, Dungannon, stating that he was wounded on the breast and hand on 13th May, and is a clearing hospital in France. The wounds were caused by a large shell which burst about five yards from him.
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| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 29th May 1915:
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| On Friday, Mrs Taylor of Moygashel received intimation from her husband, Private Robert Taylor, 2nd Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, that he was in a clearing hospital in France as the result of shell wounds to his breast and hand. The shell had burst close to him and had dashed him a system of twenty yards against a tree. Altogether seven men of his company had been injured by the missile. Prior to being called up on the reserve, Private Taylor was noted as a valued section leader for B Company Dungannon Battalion U.V.F.
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| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 12th June 1915:
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| Moygashel L.O.L. No. 708 (Killyman District) met on Friday evening, Brother John Shannon, W.M., in the chair. A vote of sympathy was accorded to Brother Private Robert Taylor, 2nd Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, who is in hospital in England, recovering from wounds received at the western front.
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| From the Belfast Newsletter dated 22nd July 1915:
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| Private Robert Taylor, 2nd Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, has arrived home at Moygashel, Dungannon, to recover from wounds received in France on 13th May. Private Taylor was an efficient section leader of in B Company, Dungannon Battalion, Ulster Volunteer Force.
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| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 24th July 1915: Private Taylor Wounded
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| Mr Samuel Heron, Gorestown, Moy, received intimation from the War Office on Monday that his son, Private Charles Heron, 2nd Battalion Inniskilling Fusiliers, has been killed in action at the Dardanelles. Private Heron who had been an auxiliary postman at Moy when he was called to the colours as a reservist, had been wounded during the second day’s fighting in the retreat from Mons and had been invalided home. Four months ago he was sent out to the Dardanelles to the 1st Battalion. His brother, Mr Thomas Heron, Dungannon, is an esteemed breadserver of Messrs Ingles & Company Ltd.
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| From the Tyrone Courier dated 29th July 1915:
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| Private Robert Taylor, 2nd Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, has arrived home at Moygashel, Dungannon, to recover from wounds received in France so far back as 13th May. He was then wounded on the breast and hand by a large shell, which burst about five yards from him and threw him a considerable distance against a tree.
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| 1916
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| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated Saturday 1st January 1916: Private Robert Taylor
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| Private Robert Taylor, 2nd Inniskillings (attached to the 1st Battalion), has arrived at Devonport Military Hospital suffering from frostbite sustained in Macedonia. He belongs to Moygashel, Dungannon. He sustained no fewer than seven wounds caused by shrapnel shell fire at Festubert in May last.
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| From the Tyrone Courier dated 6th January 1916:
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| Private Robert Taylor, 1st Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (Moygashel) has arrived at Devonport Military Hospital suffering from frostbite sustained in Macedonia.
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| Six months later Private Taylor was admitted to Devonport Military Hospital suffering from frostbite sustained in Macedonia.
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| Private Robert Thomas Taylor was serving with the 1st Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when he died of wounds in France on 3rd July 1916, age 23.
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| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated Saturday 8th July 1916: Cookstown Soldiers Wounded in Big Push
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| Lance Corporal Robert Taylor (died of wounds), Moygashel, Dungannon.
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| From the Belfast Newsletter dated 10th July 1916:
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| Lance Corporal Robert Taylor, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, Moygashel, killed. This soldier had been wounded on three previous occasions.
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| From the Tyrone Courier dated 13 July 1916:
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| Mrs R Taylor, Moygashel, received intimation on Friday of the death from wounds received in action of her husband, Lance-Corporal Robert Taylor, Inniskillings. The sad news was conveyed in the following letter from the Chaplain of the regiment, Rev Wm C Stainsby -
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| 'I am deeply sorry to tell you that your husband was brought here (29th C.C.S) inn Saturday 1st July, suffering from a wound from which there was no hope of his recovery and he passed peacefully away yesterday on Sunday afternoon. From the time of his arrival, he was nursed with the tenderest devotion and attended by a great surgeon and you can rest assured that everything was done that could be done to aid his recovery and relieve his pain. Each time I saw him he was conscious and was able to join with me in saying the Lord's Prayer and he followed the other prayers very reverently. He begged me to send his dear love to you and I am sure he died at peace with God. He will be buried today at Gezaincourt, near Doullens and his funeral will be attended by full military honours. His grave will be in the beautiful cemetery in the part reserved for British soldiers and will be marked by two crosses, each bearing his name, number, regiment and his date of death, so that it will be quite easily found should anyone wish to visit it when the war is over. Please accept this expression of my deepest sympathy with you in your great loss and sorrow. Perhaps after a time, it will comfort you to remember that he died a true soldier of his God and country. Till then may He bless and comfort you.'
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| Lance Corporal Taylor had been several times previously wounded and before the war took an active part in the local company of the U.V.F.
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| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated Saturday 15th July 1916: Lance Corporal Robert Taylor
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| 'I am deeply sorry to tell you that your husband was brought here on Saturday 1st July, suffering from a wound from which there was no hope of his recovery and he passed peacefully away yesterday on Sunday afternoon. From the time of his arrival, he was nursed with the tenderest devotion and attended by a great surgeon and you can rest assured that everything was done that could be done to aid his recovery and relieve his pain. Each time I saw him he was conscious and was able to join with me in the Lord's Prayer and he followed the other prayers very reverently. He begged me to send his dear love to you and I am sure he died at peace with God. He will be buried today at Gezaincourt, near Doullens and his funeral will be attended by full military honours. His grave will be in the beautiful cemetery in the part reserved for British soldiers and will be marked by two crosses, each bearing his name, number, regiment and his date of death, so that it will be quite easily found should anyone wish to visit it when the war is over. Please accept this expression of my deepest sympathy with you in your great loss and sorrow. Perhaps after a time, it will comfort you to remember that he died a true soldier of his God and country. May He bless and comfort you.'
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| At the monthly meeting of Moygashel L.O.L. on Friday evening, the W.M., Br William Ardrey, referred to the heavy loss the loss had sustained in the death in action of Lance Corporal Robert Taylor. He proposed that a resolution expressing their deepest sympathy be adopted and forwarded to Mrs Taylor, the bereaved widow. The resolution was seconded by Br George Gallagher, secretary, and adopted in silence, the members standing. The lodge then adjourned as a token of respect.
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| Lance Corporal Robert Taylor, 2nd Inniskillings, died on Sunday from wounds on the previous day. His wife resides at Moygashel, Dungannon. The deceased soldier was a member of the Special Reserve and was called up at the outbreak of war. He was very severely wounded in France in May 1915, and after recovering was sent to the Dardanelles, where he was again wounded. He afterwards returned to France where he was wounded for a third time. He was a member of Moygashel LO.L. No 708, and was instructor of Moygashel Half-Company Dungannon Battalion U.V.F. The announcement was conveyed to his widow in a letter from Rev Wm C Stainsley, who wrote:-
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| Memorials
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| 2014
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| From the Tyrone Courier of 13 August 2014: Information sought on Pte Robert Thomas Taylor
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| Sir I was wondering if you could help us trace the relatives of WW1 soldier Private Robert Thomas Taylor, His father and mother were William and Rachel Taylor, originally from Cookstown, but moved to Dungannon sometime before 1911. Robert Thomas Taylor was the eldest of six children named as Lizzie, Cissie, Charles, Jane and William. William was born in 1892 and Jane in 1889. Robert married Letitia Robb in Dungannon Presbyterian Church on 13th April 1914, He was a member of Moygashel LOL 708 and was killed at the Somme in 1914? We would appreciate your help in tracing any known relatives if either Robert or Letitia through your newspaper. Yours, Derek Gallagher. Email included.
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