Taylor, Rupert Warren

404505 Bugle-Sergeant Rupert “Rup” Warren Taylor was born 26 November 1884 in Montreal, Quebec to Janet Campbell Roberson and John Warren Taylor. By the 1890’s the family had moved to Ontario and by 1902 both Rupert, and his brother Warde, had joined the Queen’s Own Rifles in Toronto as Buglers. By 1907 Rupert had been promoted to Corporal and in 1910 he had been promoted to Bugle-Sergeant and went with the regiment to England to participate in maneuvers with the British Army paid for by Colonel Sir Henry Pellatt. Taylor was an excellent shot, he was a member of the Regiment’s Rifle Team and shot at the Dominion Rifle Association shoots in 1912, and 1913. He was an original member of the Regiment’s Maple Leaf Rifle Club and was on the Bugler’s Rifle Team in 1913 when they won the Delamare and Benjamin Efficiency Cups.

L-R Bugle-Major Charles Swift, Bugler Frank Williams, Bugle-Sergeant RW Taylor, Bugle-Sergeant Frank Foster c1913

On 5 November 1915 Taylor enrolled for active service with the 35^th Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force in Toronto, a Battalion that many Queen’s Own enlisted in. Landing in England on 25 October 1915 Taylor was promoted to Acting Lieutenant before proceeding to France to join the 87^th Battalion CEF in December of 1916. The 87^th suffered horrendous casualties at the Battle of Vimy Ridge, Lieutenant Taylor was reported as missing but later confirmed that he had been killed in action. He is buried in the Villiers Station Cemetery plot IX.H.19.

Timeline of Military service: