The Airmen's Stories - Lt. (FAA) E W T Taylour

Edward Winchester Tollemache Taylour was commissioned in the Royal Navy in January 1933. He was granted a temporary commission in the RAF on 5th January 1937 as a Flying Officer and was then attached to the FAA and posted to 1FTS.

He relinquished this commission on 26th July 1939 and in early 1940 was back with the FAA flying Skuas with 800 (FAA) Squadron . He took part in the sinking of the German cruiser Konigsberg by aerial attack at Bergen, Norway on 10th April 1940. He shared in the destruction of two He111’s on 27th and 28th April. In early July Taylour was with 808 Squadron at Wick, flying Fulmars on dockyard defence. He was awarded the DSC and Bar (gazetted 9th October 1940), both awards for actions in Norway.

On 22nd October 808 Squadron embarked in HMS Ark Royal for service in the Mediterranean. On 27th November Taylour shared in destroying a Cant Z506B ten miles north of Bone, Algeria, on 2nd February 1941 he shared a Cant Z1007, on 8th May he destroyed a Ju87 and probably destroyed a CR42, on 23rd August he damaged a Cant Z506B, on 27th September he shared a Fiat BR20 and on the 28th shared a Cant Z506B.

Taylour was given command of 802 Squadron on 7th April 1942 and on 3rd September the squadron embarked on HMS Avenger for the protection of Convoy PQ18, bound for Russia. The convoy was heavily attacked on 13th September and in an action with BV138’s, Taylour was shot down in flames by return fire and killed.

He is remembered on the Fleet Air Arm Memorial at Lee-on-Solent.