Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Captain H. Taylor, Imperial Light Horse

1939-45 Star; Africa Star, clasp, 8th Army; Defence and War Medals; Africa Service Medal, all officially named (26364 H. Taylor) mounted as worn, good very fine (5) £40-60

Harold Taylor was born on 8 September 1914. Before the war he was a House Salesman and a Stock Clerk living in Johannesburg. He joined the Imperial Light Horse on 1 July 1933. After being promoted to Sergeant, he was commissioned into the Imperial Light Horse on 1 January 1937 and promoted to Lieutenant in January 1939 and Captain in June 1940. He served with the Imperial Light Horse in North Africa from 8 May 1941. Taylor was with the unit during Operation Crusader, the capture of Bardia and the fighting at Gazala in June 1942, followed by the retreat into Egypt. He was hit in the leg by shrapnel on 1 July 1942 and was treated at the 5th S.A. General Hospital. After convalescing he rejoined his unit in August 1942. He received an accidental injury at El Alamein on 23 October 1942 - a gunshot wound to his left wrist. He returned to South Africa with the I.L.H. in January 1943 but returned to Egypt with the 9th Battalion Reserve Brigade in October 1943. Captain Taylor was discharged in October 1945.

With copied service papers and research.