This is one of a series of posts to mark the international Rugby players who died during The Great War. If anyone has further information on the men concerned, I’d be most grateful if it could be added to the thread. Gareth Taylor, Reginald played for New Zealand Internationals: 2 : 1912 A+ (1t) A- Reginald Taylor was born on 23 March 1889, in Hillsborough, Taranaki Played as a Flanker for: Inglewood School, Waimate, Taranaki, Clifton, North Island Remarks: He played 2 matches for the All Blacks, both of them Internationals. War service: 8/2738, Lance Corporal 1st Battalion, Wellington Regiment, 1st Brigade, NZ Division, NZEF - 6th reinforcements to the NZEF He was killed in action on 20 June 1917, in Messines, and is commemorated at the Underhill Farm Cemetery, Ploegsteert, Comines-Warneton, Belgium [B. 6].
Three 1913 All Blacks who played Australia died of wounds received at Messines - one on the day itself and two a little later. George Sellars died on June 7 1917, the first day of the battle, while Jim McNeece and Reg Taylor died two weeks later. George Sellars is commemorated on the New Zealand Memorial at the Messines Ridge Cemetery, Reg Taylor's grave is at Underhill Farm nearby, while Jim McNeece's grave is at St Sever, Rouen, France, which was a base hospital at the time. In Memory of Lance Corporal REGINALD TAYLOR 8/2738, 1st Bn., Wellington Regiment, N.Z.E.F. who died on 20 June 1917 Remembered with honour UNDERHILL FARM CEMETERY http://www.nixonpictures.co.nz/All_Blacks_WWI_Reg_Taylor.html
