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hesitate to call on me. Offering you my deepest sympathy in your loss,
I remain, sincerely Fenton Taylor, Captain, U.S.M.S., Leicestershire
Regt., 29th March, 1918.”
Deceased was 19 years old, the same age that his brother James had
attained when killed in action on April 16th, 1916. They were educated
together at Oakham Grammar School, both being sound athletes and in the
School Rugby 15. It will be remembered that they did much to encourage
the Rugger game in Melton Mowbray when a local club was formed, and
deceased has taken a leading part in his battalion sports, being stand-off
half back in the Rugby football team. At the time war was declared he and
his brother were in camp at Rugeley with the Cadet Corps and the camp
was suddenly broken up on the memorable 4th August, 1914. They came
home and immediately joined the local Territorials, marching out with them to
Loughborough the same week, and proceeding to France on the 27th Feb.
1915. There they saw much active service, and deceased was wounded in
the arm by shrapnel, being invalided home and leaving his elder brother at
the front. Just previously the latter had been buried for three hours as the
result of a mine explosion, it was during deceased’s period of convalescence
that his brother James was killed. The Headmaster of Oakham having a
nomination for Sandhurst, gave it to Mr. C. F. Atter, who went through the
course there, and was gazetted to the Leicestershire Regt., as Second
Lieutenant. He spent some time with his battalion in England, then went
out to France last summer. As recently as February 18th he was gazetted
to full Lieutenant, dating back from the 19th January. When he joined the
army he was only 16 years and two months.