GALLANT OFFICER

Taranaki Daily News, 21 January 1935, Page 14

GALLANT OFFICER

DEATH-BED toast to comrades. FACED HIS END QUITE CALMLY. Melbourne, Jan. 9. A man who was famed for his wartime bravery provided a last example to-day of stoic calm and peace of mind in face of death. . He was Captain Geoffrey Taylor, R.A.F., aged 41, who died at his residence in Allenby Avenue, East Malvern. Captain Taylor was seriously injured during the war and underwent a major head operation. Two years ago the effects of his injuries recurred and he became a permanent invalid. He grew steadily worse and a few days ago realised that he was dying. He called his wife and two young daughters to his bedside and told them that he had only a few more hours to live.

After having given farewell presents to his daughters, Captain Taylor asked his wife to bring him a bottle of beer to “drink the health of his war-time comrades.” He then called for his little black dog, “Zip,” which sat on the bed beside hte master. Captain Taylor talked cheerfully until late into the night. His family left him and a few minutes later he died. Beside his dead master lay Zip, who had to be forcibly dragged away. Captain Taylor was the son of the Jate Sir Robert and Ladx Tailor, of

Kytes Garston (Herts). He was educated at Eton College and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. After having left, college Captain Taylor was commissioned to the 60th Royal Rifles and went to the front in 1914. In 1915 he went to Egypt and became the youngest adjutant with the British Army in Egypt. He complained that things were “too dull,” and gained a transfer to the Royal Flying Corps. He took part in aerial fighting on the Western front fox fees xear?