Saint Cyprian Tayler

Saint Cyprian Churchill Tayler
Born (1896-02-26)26 February 1896
Winchester, Hampshire, England
Died 17 March 1918(1918-03-17) (aged 22)
South of Cambrai
Allegiance England
Service/branch Aviation
Rank Captain
Unit No. 32 Squadron RFC, No. 80 Squadron RAF
Awards Military Cross

Captain Saint Cyprian Churchill Tayler MC was an English World War I flying ace credited with ten aerial victories. He scored those victories while flying two tours of combat for two different squadrons; he used three makes of aircraft in the process.

Early life

Saint Cyprian Churchill Tayler was born on 26 February 1896. His parents were John Frederic Jenner and Minnie Ruth Tayler. Although born in Winchester, England, the younger Tayler enlisted in Natal, South Africa; his home of record was The Haven on Boshoffs Road.[1]

World War I

15 August 1916 Cadet Tayler was commissioned as a second lieutenant on probation in the Royal Sussex Regiment.[2] On 6 February 1917 he was appointed as a second lieutenant and transferred to the General List of the Royal Flying Corps.[3]

On 14 May 1917, he scored his first aerial victory while flying in Arthur Coningham's flight.[4] After scoring twice more, Pilot Officer Tayler was appointed as a Flight Commander on 13 July 1917, with an accompanying promotion to temporary Captain.[5] A report of his being wounded in action on 31 July[6] was published on 16 August 1917.[7]

His exploits earned him a Military Cross, awarded 27 September 1917.[8] It was gazetted on 9 January 1918:

"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in leading offensive patrols against enemy aircraft. On five occasions at least he and his patrol have attacked and brought down hostile machines. These successes were almost entirely due to his very skilful piloting."[9]

In late 1917, Tayler was transferred to a new squadron that was forming, No. 80 Squadron. He returned to combat with them in January 1918; he would score his last three victories for them.[10]

On 17 March 1918, Tayler was killed in combat with Heinrich Kroll.[11] Saint Cyprian Churchill Tayler is buried in an unidentified plot in Faubourg-d'Amiens Cemetery. He is also memorialized on the Arras Flying Services Memorial.[12][13]

List of aerial victories

See also Aerial victory standards of World War I

No. Date/time Aircraft Foe Result Location Notes
1 23 January 1917 @ 1515 hours Airco DH.2 German reconnaissance plane Set afire; destroyed Ervillers Victory shared with Frank Billinge, Arthur Randall, Arthur Coningham, three other pilots
2 14 May 1917 @ 1030 hours Airco DH.5 serial number A4800 Albatros D.III Destroyed Southeast of Baralle
3 11 July 1917 @ 0915 hours Airco DH.5 s/n A9385 Albatros D.III Driven down out of control Hooge, Belgium
4 12 July 1917 @ 0955 hours Airco DH.5 s/n A9185 Albatros D.III Driven down out of control Polygon Wood
5 27 July 1917 @ 1445 hours Airco DH.5 s/n A9213 German reconnaissance plane Destroyed Geluvelt Victory shared with three other pilots
6 28 July 1917 @ 0530 hours Airco DH.5 s/n A9213 Albatros reconnaissance plane Destroyed Pilkem Victory shared with three other pilots
7 29 July 1917 @ 0800 hours Airco DH.5 s/n A9213 AGO C.II Captured Langemarck Victory shared with three other pilots
8 10 March 1918 Sopwith Camel Albatros D.V Destroyed Bohain-en-Vermandois-Ribemont
9 10 March 1918 Sopwith Camel Albatros D.V Driven down out of control Bohain-Ribemont
10 13 March 1918 Sopwith Camel Albatros D.V Destroyed [14]

References

Endnotes

  1. ↑ http://www.delvillewood.com/cemeteries/arras%20flying%20services%20memorial.htm Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  2. ↑ (The London Gazette, 15 August 1916, pp. 8028-8029.) http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/issues/29708/pages/8028/page.pdf; http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/issues/29708/pages/8029/page.pdf Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  3. ↑ Note: This indicates he had completed aviation training. (Supplement to the London Gazette, 21 February 1917, pp. 1847-1848.) http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/29956/supplements/1847; http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/29956/supplements/1848 Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  4. ↑ Above the Trenches, p. 358.
  5. ↑ (Supplement to the London Gazette, 26 July 1917, p. 7594.) http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/30203/supplements/7594 Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  6. ↑ Above the Trenches, p. 358.
  7. ↑ http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1917/1917%20-%201021.html?search=St.%20C.%20C.%20Tayler Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  8. ↑ (Supplement to the London Gazette, 27 September 1917, pp. 2052, 2059.) http://www.edinburgh-gazette.co.uk/issues/13146/pages/2052; http://www.edinburgh-gazette.co.uk/issues/13146/pages/2059 Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  9. ↑ (Supplement to the London Gazette, 9 January 1918, p. 647.) http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/30466/supplements/647 Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  10. ↑ Above the Trenches, p. 358.
  11. ↑ http://www.delvillewood.com/cemeteries/arras%20flying%20services%20memorial.htm Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  12. ↑ http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Tayler&GSfn=s+&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=56712901&df=all& Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  13. ↑ http://www.cwgc.org/search/SearchResults.aspx?surname=Tayler&initials=S&war=0&yearfrom=1900&yearto=2000&force=&nationality=&send.x=49&send.y=14 Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  14. ↑ Above the Trenches, p. 358.
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