Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Matthew Taylor Aves, a baker, born in the 4th quarter of 1854 in Lambeth, Surrey and his wife Mary Ann Aves (nee Freeman, married in the 3rd quarter of 1890 in the Lambeth Surrey district), born 1865 in Staffordshire. Matthew Taylor was born in the 3rd quarter of 1891 in Holborn, Middlesex, in April 1891 Matthew was absent from the family home at 91, Harrison Street, St. Pancras, Middlesex. Matthew’s father died in the 2nd quarter of 1892 in the Epsom, Surrey district, aged 37. Matthew married Edith Batty in the 4th quarter of 1911 in the Loughborough, Leicestershire district, Edith was born on the 27th May 1884 in Heanor, Nottinghamshire, after their marriage they resided at 40, Wellington Street,
Loughborough. Matthew and Edith had two children, George Edward, born on the 8th February 1912 and Matthew Taylor, born on the 21st January 1917, both children were born in Loughborough. Edith was awarded a weekly pension for herself and her two children of twenty two shillings and eleven pence to commence on the 18th February 1918. His widow married Francis Edwin Stubley in the 2nd quarter of 1924 in the Loughborough, Leicestershire district.
Matthew appears to have evaded being recorded on any census return, either by his mother’s reluctance or indeed, having been widowed only a matter of a year after her child’s birth, due to whatever circumstances she found herself in at the time, or in Matthew’s case as an adult, later in life, as a personal choice.
Matthew’s Army enlistment documents do not survive, all that is known of his military service is that he enlisted into the Leicestershire Regiment, being allotted the service number 27898, and was posted as a Private to that Regiment’s Depot for training, at some point he was transferred to the 1st Battalion of the North Staffordshire Regiment and allotted the service number of 40106. It cannot be confirmed with which regiment he embarked to join the British Expeditionary Force in France, nor the date, however as he was not recorded on the medal rolls for the 1914-15 Star, it be accepted that it was after the 31st December 1915. Nothing further is known of his military service until he was officially recorded as being killed in action on the 31st July 1917, while serving with the 1st Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment. His body was never recovered and he is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres, Belgium. He was awarded the British War Medal and Allied Victory Medal.
The War Diary records: 31 Jul-17 – TRENCHES. The Battalion attacked in the early morning about 4.00am. About 11 officers and 280 other ranks reported casualties. 2nd Lieutenant BYAS rejoined Battalion.
ACCOUNT OF – Action of the 1st North Staffordshire Regiment in the THIRD BATTLE of YPRES.
Commencing 31st July 1917.
On night of 29th July.
The Battalion which had marched up from SENINGHEM where it had been practicing the attack for the past three weeks moved up from MICMAC CAMP to trenches just South of MENIN – YPRES Railway and remained there all day 30th inst. “A” Company who were to be Company in Support took over front line trenches from 9th EAST SURREY REGIMENT in front of MOUNT SORREL.
On night of 30th/31st July.
“B,” “C” and “D” Companies moved across the front and took up their assembly positions in the MOUNT SORREL System. “C” Company on right in IMMAGE CRESENT. “D” Company on left on tape line in continuation of “C” Company. “B” Company in close support to the two former and “A” Company back in reserve.
ORDER OF BATTLE.
The 92nd Infantry Brigade attacked on a two Battalion front. 8th QUEEN’S REGIMENT on right and NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE REGIMENT on left. 8th ROYAL WEST KENT REGIMENT in support and 9th EAST SURREY REGIMENT in reserve.
The two attacking Battalions attacked each on a two Company front. NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE REGIMENT with “C” Company (Lieutenant A. H. ALLEN Commanding) on right. “D” Company (Captain M. I. B. SHAW Commanding) on left. “B” Company (Lieutenant L. J. SWALLOW Commanding) in support and “A” Company (Captain G. G. THOMSON Commanding) in reserve.
On the right of 8th QUEEN’S was 41st Division (20th DURHAM LIGHT INFANTRY). On the left of NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE REGIMENT was 7th NORTHAMPTONSHIRE REGIMENT (73rd Infantry Brigade 24th Division).
OBJECTIVES. (See Map attached).
The objectives of the 72nd Infantry Brigade were JEHOVA TRENCH. GREENBUG FARM. JORDAN TRENCH and if possible to push forward patrols to West edge of BULGARS WOOD and etc., and thus conforming to movement to be carried out enabling attack Northwards and form part of a defensive flank to that attack.
BATTLE.
Zero hour was fixed for 3.50am on 31st inst. and from midnight until that time the enemy kept up a fairly active bombardment on our trench system and back areas with guns of all calibres. As had been the custom for some weeks past. This bombardment was erratic and caused the Battalion few casualties.
At Zero our barrage descended and the attacking troops (”D,” “C” and “B” Companies) went forward close under it, in a few minutes the enemy dropped a barrage of 5.9 inch and 4.2 inch on our support and reserve lines.
The attacking line got clear of the enemy’s barrage with few casualties and met with little opposition until they reached JEHOVA TRENCH, here the enemy made resistance but were either killed, taken prisoner or driven out and the trench quickly occupied by our men, but owing to a Company of NORTHAMPTONSHIRE REGIMENT on our left losing direction and the remnants of that Regiment being unable to keep up with our barrage owing to the ground and tree stumps in SHREWSBURY FOREST a gap was caused in the attacking line and the enemy opened a heavy enfilading Machine Gun fire from SHREWSBURY FOREST on our left and also opened with Machine Guns from BULGARS WOOD to our front. This causing a great many casualties on this Battalion, especially among the officers, who were all either killed or wounded by 5.30am except two, Lieutenant ALLEN and 2nd Lieutenant PIERSON. The men however advanced beyond JEHOVA TRENCH and commenced to dig themselves in 2nd Lieutenant PIERSON and a few men reached JORDAN TRENCH but afterwards came back.
6485 Acting Company Sergeant Major AVERILL “D” Company acted with great gallantry as when all the officers of his Company became casualties, he led the men on to their objective.
10918 Sergeant AUSTIN and 8179 Private WALKLATE with a Lewis Gun engaged, put out of action and captured an enemy Machine Gun and crew which was causing casualties to our men from JEHOVA TRENCH.
At about 6.00am Brigadier General Commanding 72nd Infantry Brigade gave orders that the attack would not continue owing to the situation on our left and right flanks, the line gained was therefore consolidated forthwith. At about 7.00am Captain G. G. THOMSON went up and work commenced on the front line which consisted of men of “B,” “C” and “D” Companies and some men of QUEENS REGIMENT and NORTHAMPTONSHIRE REGIMENT all very much mixed up together.
During the night of 31st inst. it rained heavily and continued to rain throughout the following day, the line taken and our new trenches and surrounding country was quickly turned into a mass of mud and water which severely handicapped all movement.
The enemy’s artillery, Machine Guns and snipers were at all times during the attack and consolidation very active, his artillery increasing in intensity at different periods on our old front and support lines and the ground between that and the newly captured position.
The Battalion was relieved by 9th EAST SURREY REGIMENT on night of August 1st/2nd and moved back to MICMAC CAMP to rest and reorganise.
Attached as Summary is report of Lieutenant A. H. ALLEN.
The following officers took part in the action.
Battalion Headquarters.
Lieutenant Colonel V. V. POPE, D.S.O., M.C., Commanding.
Captain P. D. HARRIS, Adjutant.
2nd Lieutenant A. N. WESTLAKE, Intelligence Officer.
“A” Company.
Captain G. G. THOMSON, M.C., Commanding.
Lieutenant K. F. M. MURRAY.
Lieutenant S. E. STEELY. Wounded.
2nd Lieutenant W. R. LAWTON.
“B” Company.
Lieutenant L. J. SWALLOW, Commanding. Wounded, missing believed killed.
Lieutenant R. A. HOPE. Killed.
Lieutenant F. BOURNE. Killed.
2nd Lieutenant C. H. SILK. Wounded.
“C” Company.
Captain G. W. MAPPLEBECK who should have commanded was mortally wounded on night of 29th/30th whilst marching up and died on 31st July.
Lieutenant A. H. ALLEN, Commanding.
2nd Lieutenant L. H. JULL. Wounded.
2nd Lieutenant E. T. PIERSON.
“D” Company.
Captain M. I. B. SHAW, Commanding. Wounded.
2nd Lieutenant B. D. MARTIN. Wounded.
2nd Lieutenant N. M. TOFT. Wounded.
2nd Lieutenant D. J. CRUICKSHANK. Wounded.
Total casualties for this action were:-
Officers. 3 killed, 7 wounded, 1 missing.
Other Rank. 42 killed, 239 wounded, 2 missing.
None of the missing are believed to have been taken prisoners, but are probably killed.
The Battalion captured between 40 and 50 German prisoners, also one German Machine Gun.
The Battalion was congratulated by the Brigadier General Commanding and Major General Commanding on the part they took in the action.
Signed. P. D. Harris, Adjutant, 1st N. Staffs. Regt. 4/8/17.