Albert William Taylor (Service No. T/1084147) died while on active service on 3 July 1945. He was a Corporal in the Royal Army Service Corps, 645 Army Troops Composite Company and was aged 30 when he died. He was initially buried at Cemetery De Kleffen and subsequently re-interred on 30 January 1946 in grave I. A. 1. in the Overloon Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery.

Military career

It seems that Albert first attested for the Royal Artillery in 1940 and was transferred to the Royal Army Service Corps (RASC) on 5/12/1943.
 
The RASC was the branch of the British Army responsible for the distribution of supplies such as food, water, fuel and domestic materials such as clothing, furniture and stationery to units in the field as well as transportation of troops. It had responsibility for transporting supplies as far as the front line, where individual  units took over responsibility. The corps were also responsible for the administration and maintenance of barracks and quarters. The RASC did not issue or maintain weapons, military equipment or ammunition as this was the responsibility of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps. However, it did transport ammunition from Base Ordnance Depots to Forward Ammunition Points. 
 
The RASC, 645 Army Troops Composite Company was one of two such companies in the Second British Army which itself was part of 21st Army Group. Their role was to provide “transport for the carriage of 2nd line scales of ammunition, petrol and anti-gas reserves, and of supplies on single echelon on unit basis for units in army troops. A reserve of tipping lorries is available for allotment as required”. Earlier in the war a “double echelon” referred to a mode of operation where one echelon carried one day’s worth of supplies (excluding fuel and ammunition) for all the units of their parent division on one day, while a second echelon performed the same role the next day. It is thought that a single echelon operation ensured that all  transport was utilised to the best extent and no vehicles were left idle. The Company consisted of an HQ, three Motor Transport Platoons (two with 3-ton lorries, one with tippers, 33 task vehicles per platoon, which included three spare), a full Composite Platoon, two Relief Driver Increments and a Workshop Platoon. An approximate strength of a Company of this type was 11 officers and 372 other ranks.
 
The 1944 War Diary of 645 Company tells us that they were based at the village of Haselbech in Northamptonshire (between Market Harborough and Rugby) that year until the moves associated with D-Day, though two platoons may have been based at nearby South Kilworth and Moulton (and later Ashon Wold).
 
For all of February they were involved in Exercise “Eagle”. This was carried out initially at a field location at Huggate in the Yorkshire Wolds involving 3 Transport Platoons and another based at York. In the middle of the month the exercise moved to Thornton Dale and nearby Wilton. This was on the now defunct railway line between Seamer and Pickering in North Yorkshire. In this period, all available vehicles were involved in emptying a petrol train and general transport duties. No doubt, this was in preparation for the challenges they faced post D-Day. They had returned to Haselbech by 1 March. 
 
One Platoon seems to have been involved in another exercise on 7 March and 13 March – lifting the 81st General Hospital on both occasions as part of Exercise Medico. This exercise was to prepare medical teams to support amphibious landings in preparation for D-Day. Another platoon was involved in a War Office detail at C.O.D. Bicester (Exercise WAD) at the end of the month which extended throughout April.
 
Preparation for D-Day and the required secrecy around it was ramping up in April. For example, Unit censorship instructions were received, as were Top Secret – Preparatory Administrative Orders Part 1 for 21st Army Group. A different form of Battle Dress was issued and there was some reorganisation of RASC units.
 
During May, less detail was included in the War Diary, but preparations continued for D-Day, such as the completion of waterproofing vehicles. On 28 May the Officer Commanding notified CRASC 2 Army Troops that “this unit is 100% ready for war.”
 
Movement of some of the unit to the Marshalling Area began on 5 June where they were divided into two groups based at Tilbury. One was divided into three ship loads and the other to two ship loads. Loading began on 8 June but landing only began on 10 June and was not completed. By 12 June they were located at Vienne-en-Bessin but vehicles continued to arrive up to 16 June. Vienne-en-Bessin is north west of Caen. Meanwhile, the rear party left Hazelbech on 11 June for Bisley Camp at Aldershot. They arrived on the beaches of France on 17 June and arrived at Vienne-en-Bessin on 18 June. They remained at Vienne-en-Bessin until 19 August. During this time the transport platoons were undertaking transport details, supplying the troops who had landed and first of all took part in the Battle for Caen and then pinned the German 7th Army in a pocket around Falaise, enabling it to be annihilated.
 
On 19 August, near the time that the Falaise Pocket closed, the unit moved to Treprel, just west of Falaise until 27 August. Here the transport details continued and also a Composite Platoon began to operate. On 27 August they moved to nearby La Rabotiere where they remained until 1 September. Their previous duties continued and it was noted that the Composite Platoon was feeding up to 83 units.
 
On 1 and 6 September they made two long moves, first to Wombez, then on to Horrues which lies in Belgium between the French border and Brussels where it remained until 27 September. This would be in support of the Second Army’s dash across France in parallel with the Americans on its right, and the Canadians on its left. The Second Army entered Belgium quickly and cleared much of the country including the capture of Brussels and Antwerp in early September.
 
The Second Army’s next task was to provide the main force for Operation Market Garden which took place between 17 and 25 September. During the operation, American, British and Polish airborne troops, outside the control of Second Army, were landed to capture vital bridges over several rivers in the east of the Netherlands, in order to allow Second Army’s XXX Corps to cross the Rhine and advance into Germany, relieving the parachute troops en route. However, the single road XXX Corps had to traverse caused enormous logistical difficulties and, combined with German counterattacks, the operation failed, resulting in the loss of much of the 1st Airborne Division during the Battle of Arnhem.
 
645 Company would have played its part in supplying the troops who were pushing up through the Netherlands. It remained at Horrues until 27 September. From 27 to 30 September, it moved a few platoons at a time to Aerschot which is north east of Brussels. It was noted that on 30 Sept the Composite Platoon ceased to operate at Horrues after all the others had moved. On 4 October, the Composite Platoon moved to Leopoldsburg – further north east than Aerschot and across the Albert Canal.
 
Most of the remainder of the unit moved to Neerpelt on 8 October, with E Transport Platoon moving to Leopoldsburg for supplies with the Composite Platoon. Neerpelt is just on the south of the Belgian/Dutch border east of Lommel. The Composite Platoon moved to Overpelt Factory on 4 November where they opened a supply point on 8 November. The supply point, coal point and petrol point at Leopoldsburg was handed over to 318 Company RASC (Army Troops Composite). The platoons based at Neerpelt remained there until 9 November when most moved to Geel where they remained until the end of the year while B Platoon moved to La Colonie. Geel was further west in Belgium that Neerpelt.
 
The Second Army spent the autumn of 1944 widening the salient in the German line that it had created during Operation Market Garden, to advance on the Rhine and Meuse rivers in the Netherlands. This included the Battle of Overloon. Again, 645 Company will have continued to supply them from their base at Geel.
 
The final part of the Second Army’s advance took place in mid-January 1945, with the clearing of the Roermond Triangle. This enabled the completion of the advance on the River Roer. During February 1945, the Second Army entered a holding phase. Whilst it pinned down the German forces facing it, the Canadian First Army and US Ninth Army made a pincer movement from north and south (Operations Veritable and Grenade) which pierced the Siegfried Line in that area and cleared the remaining German forces west of the Rhine in conjunction with further American offensives in the south of the Rhineland.
 
The Second Army crossed the Rhine on 23 March 1945 in an attack codenamed Operation Plunder. It then headed across the North German Plain towards Osnabrück, with the First Canadian Army on its left wheeling to clear the north of the Netherlands and the area of Lower Saxony west of Oldenburg. It reached the Weser on 4 April, the Elbe on 19 April, the shore of the Baltic Sea at Lübeck on 2 May. On 3 May, Hamburg capitulated. By 7 May the Soviet Army had met up with the British forces. Shortly thereafter, the Second World War in Europe came to an end with the surrender of Germany.
 
Unfortunately, it isn’t known where 645 were based in 1945 or the exact location or circumstances surrounding Albert’s death on 3 July 1945,  after the war had ended. However, given where he is buried, it is likely to have been in the Overloon area. There is a suggestion that he might have died in an accident. It is known that he was a motorcycle messenger at the time.

Family background

Albert William Taylor was born on 5 August 1914 in Balham in the Wandsworth district of London. He was baptised in the Roman Catholic faith. His parents were Albert William Taylor (born 23 June 1880 in Holloway London) and Mary Callaghan (born 11 March 1892 in Welling, Kent) who had married in 1913 in Wandsworth District. They had six children as follows: Albert William (5 August 1914), Mary Margaret (7 February 1918), John F (1920), Ivy D (21 October 1922), Joan (1928) and Irene L (1929).
 
In June 1921, Albert (Snr) and Mary were living at 6, Midmoor Road, Balham in Wandsworth. Albert was working as a Vehicle Building Trainee, G Factory, Ministry of Labour. With them were their first three children which included young Albert.
 
Albert married Blodwen Jones in the Wandsworth district in 1932. They had two children: Joyce Muriel Taylor on 16 January 1932 (or 1933) in Camberwell district and Patricia Margaret Taylor on 17 February 1937 in Surrey.
 
Albert’s sister, Mary, married Albert Sidney Stoneman in the Spring of 1939 in Wandsworth District. He had been born there in 1918. Albert Stoneham enlisted with the 1/5th Battalion of the Queen’s Royal Regiment (West Surrey) on 15 July 1939 (Service No. 6092262).
 
In September 1939, Albert and Blodwen were living with their two children at 134 Welbeck Road, Sutton, Carshalton, Surrey. Albert was working as a Retail Fish Salesman. Blodwen’s date of birth was given as 17 November 1915, though this seems to have been later corrected to 1911.
 
At this time, Albert’s parents were at the same address as in 1921. Only Ivy and her married sister Mary Margaret Stoneham were with them. Albert (Snr) was working as an Unestablished Postman. Ivy was working as a laundress.
 
Albert’s sister, Irene, was living at Winsthorpe, Felpham Road, Bognor Regis in the household of George and Helen H Tate and their children. Another child was present, but not named. This would be her sister Joan. Both had been evacuated. However, they hated it so their father went and brought them back home, saying that “if we’re going to die we’ll all die together.” It isn’t known where John was at his time, but it is known that he served in WW2 so may have already joined up.
 
Albert’s  brother in law, Albert Stoneman, was taken prisoner of war on 30 September 1942 in the Western Desert in Africa. He was held somewhere in Italy but died on 28 August 1943, leaving his wife with a young daughter, Irene May Stoneman, who had been born early in 1943. He is buried in grave II. F. 20. at Ancona War Cemetery in Italy. His inscription reads “R.I.P. Ever remembered by your loving wife and baby.”
 
Albert William Taylor himself died on 3 July 1945.
 
It isn’t known what became of his wife. It is understood that his mother brought up his two children. Both girls later moved to the USA. Particia moved there in 1960. It isn’t known when Joyce moved there.
 
His father, Albert William Taylor, died in 1960 and his mother, Mary Taylor, died in 1978 in Wandsworth.
 
Patricia Taylor married Chester Greene and had several children.
 
Joyce Taylor died in Milwaukie, Oregon on 2 August 2011. Patricia Taylor died in Vancouver, Clark, Washington on 27 April 2010. 

 From FindMyPast website: Civil and Parish Birth, Marriage and Death Records; England Census and 1939 Register Records; Electoral Rolls; Military Records
Ancestry Family Tree by Laura Greene
Wikipedia RASC and British Second Army.
The D-Day Story Portsmouth
Assistance from Gary Kennedy WW2Talk
War Diary WO 171/2508 for RASC 645 Company – transcribed by Tom OBrien WW2Talk
Assistance from Christine Cornell and Susan Murphy Correya, Albert’s nieces.

Research Elaine Gathercole