# Frederick Lewis Taylor

Frederick Lewis Taylor, MA, MC (London, 28 March 1892 – Pallatine Road, Stoke Newington, Cheam, 31 July 1961) was the fourth Abbot of the Benedictines of Saint Augustine's in Ramsgate (Kent). The Benedictines of Ramsgate are part of the English Province of the Subiaco Cassinese Congregation. F.L. Taylor was a historian educated at Cambridge, author of The Art of War in Italy, 1494-1529. He was a WW1 veteran, having served with the 17th Royal Fusiliers, he was invalided out of the army on 24 March 1918.

## Family

F.L. Taylor was the son of Lewis Charles Taylor and (French-born) Camille Soulard. His father Lewis was a compositor, and worked for Dent & Sons. F.L. Taylor's paternal grandfather, George Gee Taylor was a printer. His paternal great-grandfather, Charles Gee Taylor, was a Wesleyan Methodist lay preacher inventor of pills and ointments and patent medicine vendor.
F.L. Taylor's older brother, William George Taylor (Holborn, 17 October 1885, Welwyn Garden City, 4 July 1967), was secretary and manager of Dent & Sons. His elder sister Cécile Marie Taylor (Holborn, 18 November 1887, London, 16 July 1972) was Prioress of the Servite Sisters at Beccles, Stratton, Bognor Regis and Chelmsford. Her religious name was Electa. F.L. Taylor's younger sister was Camille L. (Marie) Taylor (London, 4 December 1889, Roxley Court Care Home, Letchworth), 5 September 1971), she was a telegraph operator.

## Education and academic career

F.L. Taylor was educated at Hackney Downs School, London, founded as the Grocers' Company School in 1876.
F.L. Taylor studied history at Cambridge University, at St John's College. He got an MA degree in 1920 with his essay/dissertation "The Art of War in Italy, 1494-1529 about the Italian wars, with an appendix on the Battle of Ravenna (1512). He won the Prince Consort Prize for this essay in 1920. The Prince Consort Prize was awarded in alternate years with the Thirlwall Prize, which has been awarded only in odd-numbered years. With the Prize he had his essay published by Cambridge University Press in 1921.

## Legacy of his academic work

F.L. Taylor's Art of War in Italy is often quoted as work that "(...) remains one of the most complete reviews in English of the Italian wars of this period, and explains the origins of the style of warfare which would dominate Europe in the following centuries."
Abstract from Researchgate:
   First published in 1921, this book examines the changes in styles of warfare between the medieval period and the Renaissance. Frederick Lewis Taylor links the transformations in intellectual and cultural life in this period with contemporary military innovations. His discussion focuses on the Italian wars between Spain, France and the Netherlands between 1494 and 1529, both because the aggression of competing states in a small area led to frequent wars, and because the influence of the Renaissance was strongest in its birthplace, the Italian peninsula. Taylor traces the stages in the development in all aspects of military operations, and also investigates the development of a theoretical study of war:
Quote from Creative Media Partners, LLC, 18 July 2023:
   "This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. (...) Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant." (...) "A must-read for anyone interested in the history of warfare or medieval and Renaissance Italy."
Abstract from Creative Media Partners, LLC, 18 July 2023:
   "This book explores the military strategies and tactics employed in the wars that ravaged Italy in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. Drawing on primary sources and the latest scholarship in military history, F. L. Taylor provides a detailed and engaging account of the campaigns, battles, and personalities that shaped this tumultuous period in Italian history."

## Military career

F.L. Taylor served as a soldier and officer in World War I. He enlisted in September 1914 with the University and Public School Battalion 18th Royal Fusiliers (1st Public school) and trained in B Company. He embarked to France on 17 November 1915 in 33 Division, 19th Brigade, 18 Royal Fusiliers, B Company. On 26 February 1916 his battalion was added to the General Headquarter Troops and soon thereafter disbanded. Shortly after the 18th Battalion, 1st UPS RF had been disbanded, he was commissioned for the Officers' Training Corps at Oxford, where he was trained to be an officer for 4 months. By November 1916 he returned to the battlefield in France as second Lieutenant of the 17th Royal Fusiliers as part of the Fifth New Army, 2nd Division, 5th Brigade. He commanded the B-Company. By Easter 1917 he took part in the capture of Beaumont Hamel in November 1917. He shortly afterwards was on leave in the UK. He received a Military Cross Medal for his action with his 17th RF in the Battle of Arras in April 1917:
   "At about 2 p.m. German counter-attack troops had reached a trench running from north-west to south-east, north of Oppy, but there they were caught by machine-gun fire and shrapnel; some dropped into a trench, others fled back in disorder to Neuvireuil, followed by our shrapnel. Another attack, ordered for 7 p.m., did not materialize, and in the meanwhile the 6th Brigade had been relieved by the 99th Brigade. The 17th Royal Fusiliers tell the following story of the attack on the 28th :
   '4.25 a.m. Regiment split up into strong points, carrying parties and " moppers up" attached to 2nd H.L.I. and 2nd Oxford and Bucks L.I. "went over". Canadians on the left gained Arleux and 2nd Oxford and Bucks took their first two objectives; here the list of successes ended. The 2nd H.L.I. were badly handled from Oppy Wood; the 6th Brigade were driven back to their original line; the 63rd Division, on the right, did not leave their trenches. B Company, attached to 2nd H.L.I., formed the right of the Brigade, in the air. Captain Taylor thereupon formed a defensive flank. As all our objectives had not been gained, four out of the five strong points were out of a job; they eventually established posts in the old German front line. The carrying parties did six journeys on this day and the "moppers up" were taken to stiffen the line. No enemy counter-attack that night, but both sides evinced a certain amount of "nerves" as shown by frequent S.O.S. signals and "panic" shelling.'"
   Footnote 1 The Battalion diary then sets out a list of ' Recommendations for awards', which is as follows: Military Cross: Captain F. L. Taylor, 2nd Lieutenant H. A. Ponting (sic), 2nd Lieutenant A. Forbes-Menzies, 2nd Lieutenant H. S. Havelock. Distinguished Conduct Medal: Sergeant H. Thorn ( B Company) . Military Medal: Lance-Corporal A. J. K. Sinclair, Lance-Corporal E. Perkins, Lance-Corporal W. A. H. Wood, Lance-Corporal S. J. H. Mudd, Private A. E. Coppack.
   Footnote 2 Including 2nd Lieutenants E. F. Beale and S. Sheppard killed and 2nd Lieutenants A. Forbes- Menzies and E. W. Bratchell wounded.
Taylor got a gunshot wound in his throat during the "Grey Avalanche", the German Spring Offensive, on 24 March 1918, where he acted as Captain. He was invalided out of the army on 28 April 1918.
   "Captain Taylor was then ordered to hold the sunken road just east of Haplincourt to cover the retirement. It was about 2.45 p.m. when Colonel Westonwith the rearguard reached the Red Line, north of Villers au Flos, and there found orders awaiting him to hold the Red Line if possible, and if not, rally at Beaulencourt." (about March 1918)
   "The total casualties for March were 2 officers¹ killed, 7 wounded, I wounded and missing = 10; in other ranks the losses were 22 killed, 158 wounded, 16 wounded and missing and 167 missing = 363. Footnote 1 Killed: Major Pretty and 2nd Lieutenant F. C. Campbell; Wounded: Major Lavarack, Captains Aylmer, Glasson and Taylor, Lieutenant S. D. Antill and 2nd Lieutenants Harvey, Panting; Wounded and Missing: 2nd Lieutenant Fish."(about March 1918)

## Religious career

Taylor entered St Augustine's as a novice in July 1920. He took the religious name Adrian. He made his vows four years later in 1924. He became headmaster of the Abbey School in 1924. F.L. Taylor was elected abbot of St Augustine's Abbey in Ramsgate on 8 August 1934. He succeeded Abbot Erkenwald Egan, who resigned at the age of 79 after 25 years of office. Abbot Adrian Taylor was blessed on Friday 21 September 1934.
As Abbot he had to evacuate his Abbey School to Hemingford Grey (Huntingdonshire) at the outbreak of World War II, due to German raids on Ramsgate. In 1952 he opened a Junior Day School again in Ramsgate at the Grange.
F.L. resigned as Abbot of Ramsgate in 1954 due to ill health after a dispute in his community about policy. He retired to St Michael's Abbey in Farnborough where he spent his last years. He became Titular Abbot of Reculver. He died of coronary thrombosis in 1961.