Portrait and Medals Reunited: A New Acquisition

This fantastic portrait of a Boer War officer is a new acquisition and arrived at the museum with only the name ‘Captain Taylor’ scribbled in pencil on the back. After a bit of research, we discovered it is in fact a portrait of Captain (later Lieutenant Colonel) Charles Lancaster Taylor of the 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers. A little more research revealed we already had his medal set in the collection, including Boer War and First World War medals. We are delighted that the portrait and medals have now been reunited after more than 55 years!

Who was Lieutenant Colonel Taylor?

Charles Lancaster Taylor was born in Barnes, London, on September 23rd 1873. He was educated at Harrow School and attended Royal Military College, Sandhurst in 1893. A year later he joined the South Wales Borderers as a 2nd Lieutenant.

By the time of the outbreak of the second Boer War in October 1899, Taylor had been promoted to Adjutant and three months later travelled to South Africa, arriving in Cape Town in February 1900, with the 2nd Battalion.

He saw action at Kimberley, Jacobsdal and Paardeberg and was Mentioned in Despatches twice during 1901. After the War, the Battalion travelled to India where, in 1906, he was promoted to Captain.

During the First World War, now a Major, Taylor saw action at the Battle of the Somme, Monchy Le Preux, Passendeale (the Third Battle of Ypres) and Cambrai. He was wounded twice and Mentioned in Despatches three times between 1917 and 1919.

For his services during the First World War, Taylor was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and the Belgium Order of Leopold. At the end of hostilities, he commanded the Depot at Brecon and then the 2nd Battalion at Jhansi, India. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in November 1920.

Lieutenant Colonel Charles Taylor retired from the army on 8th March 1923, and died at Aylesford, Hampshire, on 3rd March 1947 aged 73.

View his medals here.