THE BOER WAR PAIR AWARDED TO BOMBARDIER C. TAYLOR, 4TH BATTERY, ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY, WHO WAS SERIOUSLY WOUNDED DURING THE ACTION AT KLEINFONTEIN. Two: Queen's South Africa Medal, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (officially impressed: 23472 BOMBR: C. TAYLOR. 4th. BTY: R.F.A.) King's South Africa Medal, 2 clasps, SA01, SA02 (officially impressed: 23472 BOMBR. C. TAYLOR. R.F.A.). Extremely Fine and virtually as struck.
Group accompanied by copied extract from 1891 census return, 4 pages of copied service papers, copied medal rolls, confirming medals and clasps, copied extracts from Boer War casualty roll, which confirm that Bombardier Taylor was severely wounded at Kleinfontein on 24/10/1901, whilst serving with 4th Battery Royal Field Artillery and copied extract from the official history of the war in South Africa, giving details of the action.
Charles Taylor was born in the parish of Southwark, London. He is recorded in the 1891 census as a 13 year old "sailor" aboard the Royal Navy training ship Exmouth, moored in the River Thames off Grays in Essex. Taylor enlisted into the Royal Field Artillery at London on 25/10/1897. At the time of enlistment he was 18 years old and gave his trade as that of labourer. On enlistment, Taylor was posted for service with the 4th Battery Royal Field Artillery with the rank of Gunner. He was promoted Bombardier, 13/2/1912, and discharged on 30/7/1902 "medically unfit" for further service.
On 24/10/1901 the 4th Battery Royal Field Artillery, which formed part of a column commanded by Lieutenant Colonel S.B. von Donlop, part of a larger force commanded by General Lord Methuen which was conducting a punitive sweep throught the western Transvaal, burning crops, seizing livestock, and attempting to hunt down and destroy a Boer commando led by General De La Rey. During the course of the sweep, De La Rey turned the tables on his pursuers, the hunted turning hunter, and ambushed von Donop's column. During the action at Kleinfontein, the four guns of the 4th Battery Royal Field Artillery fought in two sections, one pair at the front of von Donlop's column and the other pair with the column's rearguard. The two guns in the rearguard were over-run during the initial Boer assault, with all but two of their officers and men being killed or wounded.
HMS Exmouth was loaned by the Admiralty in 1876 for use as a training ship for poor boys, often from families that had been placed in workhouses, having fallen on hard times.
