Lieutenant Edward Winchester Tollemache Taylour D.S.C. & Bar, Fleet Air Arm, killed in action 13th September 1942, piloting a Sea Hurricane of 800 Squadron operating from H.M.S. Avenger, whilst protecting convoy PQ18

Royal Navy officer’s sword, blade 80cm of Claymore pattern by Henry Wilkinson, Pall Mall, London (No 29914) etched with fouled anchor, foliage &c., solid gilt brass guard with fouled anchor, lions head pommel, white fish-skin covered grip bound with gilt wire, correct pattern sword knot, the folding guard engraved ‘E.W.T. Taylour R.N.’, black patent leather scabbard with copper gilt mounts, blade heavily cleaned and plated, gilt mostly polished off mounts £300-350

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The fine collection of attributed British Officers' Swords formed by Hal Giblin.

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Sword originally sold by Wilkinson to Taylour’s father, a Lieutenant Commander, R.N., in 1890. The sword was no doubt refurbished and presented to his son upon his commissioning in the 1930’s.

Edward Winchester Tollemache Taylour is confirmed as being a Battle of Britain pilot, who also took part in the attack on the Königsberg in April 1940. Later flying off H.M.S. Ark Royal in the Mediterranean, he was heavily engaged in convoy protection. On one occasion, climbing blind through cloud, he suddenly found himself in the middle of a formation of some dozen enemy aircraft, Things, to quote his own words, ‘were pretty hectic for a few minutes, with everyone firing at everyone else, and the Junkers jettisoning bombs like a brood of frightened hens.’ For a good thirty minutes Taylour stayed with the Junkers, breaking up their formation, chasing them in and out the scattered layers of cloud. Inevitably his Fulmer was hit again and again, its tailplane was riddled, and the starboard landing gear hung from under the wing, but Taylour refused to break away, staying with the Junkers, firing short bursts first at one and then another, driving them ever farther from the convoy. He was later killed in action whilst flying off H.M.S. Avenger on 13 September 1942. He was the first man to be honoured three times in the same day’s gazette, for his D.S.C. & Bar, and being also mentioned in despatches, all three awards being announced in the London Gazette of 9 May 1940, ‘for service in the Fleet Air Arm over the Norwegian coast.’ Lieutenant Taylour is commemorated on the Fleet Air Arm Memorial, Lee on Solent.Sold with an original photograph of Taylour receiving his Decorations from King George VI.