3312196 Harry TAYLOR, MM, 1 Irish Guards

dbf · Aug 19, 2011

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Name Taylor, Harry
Rank: Guardsman
Service No: 3312196
Regiment: 1 Battalion Irish Guards
Theatre of Combat or Operation: Italy
Award: Military Medal
Date of Announcement in London Gazette: 15 June 1944
Date 1944
Catalogue reference WO 373/6
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LG - Viewing Page 2853 of Issue 36563

24th Guards Brigade, 1st British Division, 6 American Corps
3312196 Guardsman Harry TAYLOR, 1st Battalion IRISH GUARDS

This Guardsman took a prominent part in the successful advance of No. 1 Company on the night 29th / 30th January 1944.

On reaching the Company objective, it was found that one of the houses on the road was occupied by a party of enemy. Guardsman TAYLOR successfully cleared this house with his Bren Gun killing all the occupants.

During the night he helped Guardsman MONTGOMERY to distract the enemy tanks on the position with Bren Gun fire will the rest of the Company dug in as best they could.

The following morning when a withdrawal was ordered to the other positions, TAYLOR stayed with Guardsman MONTGOMERY and his Company Commander to cover the rest of the Company across the 400 yards of open ground. Whilst engaging the enemy Machine Gun from the top of the railway embankment he presented a clear target to the enemy who were both in front and rear but continued to fire his Bren Gun with great skill and accuracy regardless of the hot enema fire directed at him.

Both the Company Commander of No. 1 and No. 2 Company are emphatic that without the courage, skill and devotion to duty of this Guardsman the two companies would have suffered far heavier casualties than they did while crossing the open ground in the face of the enemy Machine Gun posts which were engaged by or turned their attention to this Guardsman.

Guardsman TAYLOR was then wounded in the leg but continued to fire his gun and eventually, when all the rest of the Company had withdrawn, made his won way back covered by Guardsman MONTGOMERY.

I strongly recommend this Guardsman for the Immediate award of the M.M.

ISigned C.A. Montagu-Douglas-Scott, Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding 1st Battalion IRISH GUARDS
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dbf · Nov 5, 2019

Army Number: 3312196
Rank: Guardsman
Name: H TAYLOR
Unit: 1 Company, 1 Irish Guards
Theatre: Italy
Missing Personnel file: 1st Battalion IRISH GUARDS - Italy, Missing Personnel file
TNA Reference: WO 361/784
Notes: Date of Payment 14 January 1944, 400 Local Currency ;
Wounded & Missing, Located 04 February 1944

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