G/24106, Private, 7th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment.
Killed In Action on the 12th October 1917 aged 19.
Private Nelson Taplin
Nelson was the son of William & Delia Taplin of 5 Southsea Road. Before his service in the army he was employed by Mr. F.Ashwell, a butcher, in Stevenage and in December 1916 his employer had made an application for Nelson to be exempt from military service. Sadly, this was refused and within a year Nelson was to perish on the battlefields of Flanders.
His older brother, Ernest, was also killed in action in Belgium during the war.
The battle of Poelkapelle began on the 9th October 1917 and on the night of 10th/11th October the Battalion took over front line positions from the 9th West Yorkshire Regiment and the 8th Duke of Wellingtons (West Riding) Regiment. They were ordered to attack German positions the following day with zero hour being set for 5.25am. As the assault got underway one of the leading companies reported that there being hit by shells from the British artillery barrage that were falling short. Bad weather and poor ground conditions made tough going for the attacking troops and most of the officers and NCO’s had become casualties due to very heavy German shelling. Subsequently, the attack failed and had cost the Battalion a total of 385 officers & men either killed, wounded or missing.
The grave of Private Nelson Taplin in the Cement House Cemetery, Langemarck, Belgium.
Nelson is buried in the Cement House Cemetery, Langemarck, Belgium. (6.C.27.)
Headstone Inscription: "Until The Day Break And The Shadows Flee Away"
Medal Entitlement: British War Medal & Victory Medal