Lieutenant Colonel Raymond Taylor, CD was born in Claresholm, Alberta on March 17th, 1947 to Lieutenant Colonel James “Jim” Taylor and Dorothy Brown. [See more about Jim at the end of this profile.]

Ray had an amazing career in the Canadian Armed Forces, retiring in 2002 as lieutenant colonel after 37 years of service.

After beginning with the Queen’s Own Rifles in 1967, Ray joined the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) in Germany. After returning, he joined the security branch and was posted to Cold Lake, Alta., and then Trenton, Ont. as base security officer. During his time in Trenton, he oversaw aircraft security for the Royal Family while they were in Canada and Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau when he left Canada.

Ray spent many years based in Ottawa in the Privy Council Office and at Canadian Forces Headquarters. He did a wide variety of jobs in Ottawa: undercover surveillance, counterintelligence, intelligence analyst, senior briefer of the most senior Canadian Government officials, a tour with the United Nations, and training diplomats on how to stay safe in foreign countries.

His next posting was as an intelligence liaison officer in London, England, and then he was back at NDHQ in Ottawa and Staff College in Toronto. During this time in Ottawa, he was known as the pre-eminent Middle East intelligence analyst and became head of the Soviet Air Forces Analysis Division.

His next big move was to Winnipeg as the air command intelligence officer. Here, he managed all the intelligence functions and all the intelligence resources for the Royal Canadian Air Force. His career concluded in Washington, D.C., where he served as chief of the Canadian Forces Intelligence Liaison Office.

He was known to have contributed significantly to the process of intelligence and co-operation between the United States and Canada.

Ray Taylor worked hard for his country and was involved in every international military event from the Cold War to the Balkans War, including Cyprus, Egypt, Lebanon, Guatemala, Rwanda, Kosovo, and Bosnia, to name just a few.

He earned many accolades and decorations throughout his career, including the Peacekeeping Decoration for the Nobel Peace Prize and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.

He was most proud of being awarded the Legion of Merit (Officer) by the United States for his service in Washington.  This award was created for citizens of other nations to honour “exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service to the United States.”

The Legion of Merit had never been awarded to a serving, non-retired individual.

Lieutenant Colonel Taylor died on 15 May 2022 in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.

NB. Jim Taylor served as a junior officer with the 7th Battalion Kings Own Scottish Borderers under the CANLOAN scheme during World War II. Although seriously wounded and taken POW at Arnhem, Jim survived and went onto serve for 34 years in the Canadian Army, retiring as Lieutenant Colonel.

Sadly, Jim was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma shortly after his pilgrimage to the 65th Arnhem commemorations and passed away on 5 January 2010.

With content from the MooseJawToday.com