Taylor, Geoffrey Frank
Age: about 24
Date of birth: c1921
Parents: Ernest and Annie Taylor nee Parker
Wife: Nellie Taylor nee Ashmore
Address: 15 Upper Carr Lane, Calverley, Leeds
Occupation: Not known
Geoffrey was born in 1921 to parents Ernest (b 1897) and Annie (b 1896) Taylor nee Parker.
According to the 1939 Census, Geoffrey’s sister, Margaret was born 5 years later in 1926 and a brother, Phillip, followed in 1929. At the time, the family were living at 15 Upper Carr Lane in the Pudsey District of Leeds. Father, Ernest, is described as a ‘Wholesale Manufacturer Ladies Tailor (Master)’ so he would have owned factory premises and employed workers.
We think that Geoffrey came to Warwick whilst stationed at Wellesbourne Airfield. He is commemorated on All Saints Church War Memorial so would have attended services there, along with fellow airmen stationed at Wellesbourne.
Geoffrey married Nellie Ashmore in Warwick in Q1 1943. They did not have any children and Nellie married again – to Ernest Cowen in 1947 in Warwick.
Geoffrey’s sister Margaret’s married name was Gorill but we have no further details, apart from the date of her death in 1994. His brother Phillip married in 1959 and had two children. Sadly he died at the age of 40 in 1969.
Father Ernest followed three years later in 1972 and his mother, Annie, died in 1980
Military Service
Rank & Number: Flight Lieutenant, 189687
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Brigade/Division: 103 Squadron
Date of death: 4th October 1945
Cause of death/Battle: Missing when his Lancaster disappeared over the coast of Corsica
Commemorated/Buried: Commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, Surrey. Panel 266
Awards:
Commemorated locally at: All Saints Church, Emscote
Geoffrey Frank Taylor was promoted to Pilot Officer on 14th December 1944 – confirmed in the London Gazette on 13th February 1945. He was promoted again to Flight Officer on 14th 1945.
Here is an early photograph of Geoffrey and his crew – he is on the front row, centre:
Geoffrey’s Lancaster – PQ 275 of 103 Squadron – disappeared off the coast of Corsica whilst engaged in Operation Dodge, which was concerned with the transport of personnel between UK and overseas bases. Another Lancaster pilot reported seeing a flash which may have been caused by lightening or engine failure. The aircraft or the bodies of those on board were never recovered. In all there were 6 crew and 20 passengers – including 17 ATS girls who were on their way to serve in Italy. They were to be part of ‘Operation Dodge’ – helping to repatriate British Prisoners of War from Italy.
Excerpt from INTERNATIONAL BOMBER COMMAND CENTRE WEBSITE: ‘Met with bad weather while flying at 2000′ (since there was no heating or oxygen for the nurses on board) over Corsica. Radioed other aircraft to indicate F/L Taylor was turning back to Marseilles due to engine difficulties. Nothing further was heard and no wreckage was found during the subsequent air-sea rescue operation.’
Contributors
- Unlocking Warwick Research Group
- Military details and photographs obtained via by Aircrew Remembered – a fantastic non profit making site (well worth a visit)
- Ancestry.com for Probate record and other family information
- Daily Mirror report courtesy of British Newspapers Online
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.