Before Deployment

Major Charles Taylor was originally from Wexford, Ireland where he served in the 3rd Battalion Royal Irish Regiment (Wexford Militia). When Taylor moved to Canada, he became a member of the Royal North-West Mounted Police and the Victoria Police Department in 1911. Taylor was first employed as a constable before being promoted to the head of the mounted squad. Taylor was recently promoted to the position of License Inspector with the plan of taking over for fellow serviceman John Clarence Scott. [1]

Royal Irish Regiment

At the outbreak of war, many men became frustrated with the length of time it took to be deployed as a soldier in the Canadian Military. Often, men would return to Great Britain and Ireland and enlist in the military there. Taylor was one of these men, he returned to his old regiment, the Royal Irish Regiment, where he previously served as a second lieutenant. Taylor spent over two years on the front-lines of the war and  was promoted to major shortly before his death.[2]

Major Taylor was killed on 5 August 1917, likely at the Battle of Passchendaele. He is buried at the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial and memorialized in First World War One Book of Remembrance.[3] Taylor’s brother, Fleet-Surgeon Godfrey Taylor was killed earlier in the war during the torpedoing and sinking of the H.M.S. Formidable in 1915. Taylor left behind a widow and son in Victoria.[4]

Written by Isobel Griffin

References

[1] “Former Constable Killed in Action.” Daily Colonist, 21 August 1917, p. 5.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Veteran Affairs Canada, First World War Book of Remembrance, p.581.

[4] South Dublin City Council, “Major Charles Taylor,” Our Heroes Database. http://ourheroes.southdublinlibraries.ie/ga/node/17217