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Martin Bartley Taylor, born on 16th March 1893, was admitted to King Edward’s School in September 1907. The eldest son of six children, he lived with his mother, Mary, his father, William, an insurance agent, and his five siblings at 37, Wheelwright Road, Erdington.
As a pupil of the Modern School, Martin studied a primarily scientific, rather than classical, curriculum. He was placed above average overall in his class, and was ranked near the top of his mathematics set, A II. According to the 1911 Census, he put his mathematical ability to good use after leaving School in becoming an “Architect’s Pupil”.
Martin’s Medals Index Card reveals that he served with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment before transferring to D Company, 2/5th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment, at some point in 1918. He served with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign. After initially being reported missing, he was officially reported killed 18 miles North-East of Jaffa on 10th April 1918, aged twenty-five. His body must have been recovered, as he was buried at Ramleh Cemetery, Palestine; he is also commemorated on his family memorial in St Barnabas’ Churchyard, Erdington. He left his estate of £113 to his widowed mother, Mary.