A Christian  Missionary & former  Indian Army Officers 17th 'Black Cat' Division's 'Burma Theatre' medal group of 4 with related insignia: The Reverend Michael Frederick Tayler, late Major 6th Battalion 7th Rajput Regiment, 17th 'Black Cat' Indian

- The 1939-1945 Star. No clasp
- The Burma Star. No clasp
- Defence Medal
- War Medal

Sold together with:

- WW2 silk medal riband bar, comprising 'Burma Star' quartet stitched on buckram
- Indian Army Identity Disc: Grey fibre named to (EC 5432 2nd Lt M.F. Tayler C of E)
- Indian Army Identity Disc: Red fibre named to (EC 5432 2nd Lt M.F. Tayler C of E)
- 17th 'Black Cat' Indian Division: Formation bade. Cloth
- 7th Rajput Regiment: Shoulder title

Michael Frederick Tayler, son of Leonard Frederick William Tayler (Purser, Merchant Navy, late Captain Royal Marines) & Olive Mary Tayler (nee Bale) was a native of Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, England, where he was born on 11 August 1920. At the time of the compilation of the National Register for England & Wales in 1939 Michael is recorded as residing at the Dunchurch-Winton Hall School, Warwickshire, England,  (a preparatory & boarding school that closed its doors in 1993), where he lodged as an 'Assistant Master' in the school.  

During the Second World War, Michael served in India & Burma, where he was posted to the 7th Rajput Regiment of the British Indian Army. He served in Burma, 1944-1945, with the 6th Battalion 7th Rajput Regiment (a battalion that had been raised at, Shelabagh, Madras Presidency, on 15 July 1940, and disbanded n January 1947) under higher formation of the distinguished 17th 'Black Cat' Indian Division, where, the Rajputs, served variously as Divisional Recce Battalion, and with 255th Tank Brigade.

Michael's promotions & appointments during the Second World War were

- 28 May 1942: First commissioned 'Second Lieutenant'
- 28 Nov 1942: War Substantive Lieutenant
- 10 Sep 1945: War Substantive Captain (& Temporary Major)

Post-war, Michael took 'Holy Orders' and became a cleric (reference Crockford's). Not long after being ordained, Michael followed his calling with an overseas appointment in India, where he became a Christian Missionary in Delhi with the Cambridge Brotherhood of the Ascension. His Missionary calling was reported in 'The Blaydon Courier' issue of 3 June 1955:

Quote,

Sugley Minister Leaves For India

Whit Sunday was the last Sunday at Sugley Parish Church of The Holy Saviour, Leamington, for the Rev. Michael F. Tayler, who is leaving to become a member of the Cambridge Brotherhood of the Ascension, Delhi.

He has been an assistant clergy at the Holy Saviour Church for the past three years, and he is one of five of the younger clergy of the Diocese who are leaving shortly for the Church overseas.

Parishioners and friends of Sugley, learnt something of the work that Father Tayler will do as a member of the Brotherhood when at the beginning of May Father Ian Wetherall,  vicar of the Church of St. James, Kashmir Gate, Delhi, spent a weekend at Sugley. He told them of Delhi and of the work of the Brotherhood in particular.

At a family party on Friday evening, arranged by the Parochial Church Council, Father Tayler received the good wishes of his parishioners and as a token of their appreciation of all that he has done for Sugley during the past three years, he was presented with a cheque, the presentation being made by the Church Wardens, Mr. R. Dawson and Mr. L. Tuddenham.

The young people of the church for whom Father Tayler has done so much, also presented him with a farewell gift.

The Rev. H. E. Jameson, vicar of the Holy Saviour Church, Leamington, said that when he announced that Father Tayler would shortly be leaving for India: "We shall all miss his cheerful and tireless coming and going amongst us, his real personal interest in us all, his energy and careful thoroughness in everything he has tackled and above all his deep devotion to our Lord his prayerful reverence in the conduct of divine service and his earnest and forthright preaching. Although we shall all feel very sad at his going from us and miss him very much we can also take pride in the reason for his leaving and we can look forward to forging a strong link between ourselves and the Church of India, through Father Tayler.".

Unquote.

The Cambridge Brotherhood of the Ascension (also known as the Cambridge Mission to Delhi or later the Brotherhood of the Ascended Christ) was an Anglican quasi-monastic missionary community founded in 1877 by graduates of Cambridge University in India. It was established to foster an indigenous Indian church, with a focus on education, social reform, and serving the poor. 

The Reverend Michael Frederick Tayler is recorded as having died at Winchester, Hampshire, England, sometime during the third quarter of 1992

The 4 x campaign medals are mounted in the swing-style, and as-worn. by the recipient The medals suspended from original silk ribands on a mounting brooch which latter retains its long hinged pin & clasp fittings

Condition: About EF

Code: 25968