William George Dawson Taylor – Royal Air Force

Private 2^nd Class William George Dawson Taylor – Royal Air Force

Birth and Family Background

William George Dawson Taylor was born in 1900 in Swansea. He was the son of William Avery Taylor, a native of London, and Ellen Amelia Pavey of Buckinghamshire.

Early Life

1901 Census

At the time of the 1901 Census, the Taylor family were residing at 7 Brynmill Avenue, Swansea. William Avery Taylor (40) was employed as a dental assistant, while Ellen Amelia (26) undertook household duties. Their children were Amelia Ellen (7), Rose Florence (5), and William George Dawson (6 months).

Also present in the household were Mary Ann Taylor (52), William Avery’s sister, living by her own means, and Ada Jane Pavey (15), Ellen Amelia’s sister.

1911 Census

By the 1911 Census, the family were still living at 7 Brynmill Avenue. William Avery Taylor (50) was working as an unregistered dentist, and Ellen Amelia (36) remained at home. Their children were Rose (15), Ada (12), and William (10), all attending school. Mary Ann Taylor (62) continued to reside with the family.

Military Service

William George Dawson Taylor served with the Royal Air Force as a Private 2^nd Class, and was posted to the Recruits Depot at Blandford, Dorset, during the latter part of the First World War.

The Recruits Depot at Blandford was one of the principal training and intake centres of the Royal Air Force at this time. Following the creation of the RAF in April 1918, existing army and air service facilities were rapidly adapted to meet the urgent need to train large numbers of new personnel. Blandford Camp, already an established military site, became responsible for receiving young recruits, many with little or no prior military experience, and preparing them for technical, ground, and support roles essential to RAF operations.

Death

Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects

Recruits who became seriously ill or injured were treated at the Military Hospital, Blandford, which served the camp and surrounding units. William George Dawson Taylor died on 21^st October 1918 at this hospital. Deaths recorded at Blandford during late 1918 frequently resulted from illness rather than combat, particularly during the peak of the 1918 influenza pandemic.

Burial and Commemoration

William George Dawson Taylor
Caversham Cemetery, Berkshire
credit - findagrave

William George Dawson Taylor was buried at Caversham Cemetery. His burial reflects the reality that the risks of military service extended well beyond the battlefield, especially during the final months of the war, when disease claimed the lives of many young servicemen still undergoing training