B75032 Jack Taylor enlisted with the 48th Highlanders in Toronto. . He sailed to England to join the 1st Bn, 48th Highlanders. On 27 April, 1943 a record shows he forfeited 7 Days pay for being AWOL from 24 to 26 April, then 5 days pay for AWOL from 16 to 20 May and 35 days for 5 to 12 June. During this period the battalion moved to Scotland to practice sea landings in advance of sailing on 28 June for the landings at Pachino, Sicily on 9 July. He was not on the sailing list with the main body of the battalion so must have been on the slow convoy that followed. In Sicily on 18 July he was sent to the Field Ambulance, after the battalion took the town of Valguarnera.

He was transferred to the X-3 list (hospital further back than the Field Ambulance) on 21 December 1943, near Ortona, Italy. The battalion had just completed the battle of “The Gully” on 18 December, capturing the ground north of a ravine that the Germans used to protect the advance to Ortona. On the 19th, the battalion was expanding their position to the town of San Flena and patrols beyond.  (It appears he may have been wounded on the 18th or 19th). He returned to the battalion (likely in early 1944). In February the battalion moved across Italy to the Arielli River area. There they conducted aggressive patrols into the German lines to learn their position and strength prior to beginning the assault on the Gothic Line defences. On 20 February 44 he was sent to hospital again. He was posted back from the X-3 list to the battalion’s X-4 list (48th Highlanders who could be called up as replacements) on 26 May, being discharged from 1 CCD (hospital). The battalion at that time had moved back across Italy and had advanced up the Liri Valley and then breached the Adolph Hitler Line on 22/23 May. When Jack was out of hospital the battalion was then at rest at Piedmonte d’Alife. Jack went AWOL (likely sightseeing) from 30 May to 5 June. On 17 June he went back to hospital remaining there until 28 June when he was put back on the X-4 list with the battalion still at Piedmonte.

NOK: Mother – Jean Taylor, at 76 North Street, St. Catherines, Ontario