B 72757 John Taylor went overseas with the 1st Battalion, 48th Highlanders on the Reina del Pacifico in December 1939 as a Sergeant in D Company. His rank at the time indicates that he was a member of the regiment in Toronto for some period prior to war being declared in September 1939. He enlisted, with many others of the regiment, on 6 September 1939 for overseas service. He listed his wife as next of kin at 52 Moberly Avenue in Toronto. He was born 22 September 1905.
In England he was promoted A/CSM effective 26 April 1943. While in Gourock, Scotland conducting sea landing training he was given 5 days leave from 4 June to 9 June 43, then embarked on HM Troopship Derbyshire on 13 June 43 for the landings at Pachino, Sicily on 9 July. He was confirmed Company Sergeant Major of Support Company on 27 July 43. The War Diary of Oct 1943, while the unit was at Campobasso, states he “left the unit, probably permanently”. However, he returned on 25 January 1944 from the X-4 list, only to be wounded (multiple shrapnel wounds) on 3o January when the battalion was in a defensive position in the Arielli River area conducting aggressive patrols into German lines to determine their strength and positions. He was awarded the 1939-1945 Star in July 44.
He is in our regimental history Dileas three times: On Page 175 in a photo with other NCOs in Spring 1943 in England, prior to shipping to Sicily. On page 196 he is shown as Company Sergeant Major of Support Company on board the HMS Derbyshire on the way to Sicily in June 1943. On page 296 the history shows that his rank of CSM was confirmed in late July in Sicily. On page 718 he is in another photo of NCOs in late November or early December 1944 just prior to the battle crossing of the Lamone River in northern Italy.
NOK: Mrs. Mary Taylor, wife c/o Griffan, 39 Woodlawn Avenue, Toronto
After the war, John Taylor rejoined the 48th Highlanders (reserve) battalion and was Company Sergeant Major of C Company until retiring in the fall of 1949. He then joined the Old Comrades Association, continuing his active leadership within the Association and became President of the Life Members in 1980. His wife Mary continued (into the 1990s) as a member of the Ladies Auxiliary, the group formed to support their husbands overseas during the war.
