Corporal Ernest Taylor

Ernest Joseph Leigh Taylor was born on in Norwich, Norfolk County, England, on May 13, 1887. He immigrated to Paris in 1913, where he started a barbershop and tobacconist business at 27 Grand River Street North. He married Rosa Symonds. They lived at 25 Queen Street where they raised three children.

Ernest enlisted as a private in the 84^th Overseas Battalion, CEF on September 14, 1915, in Niagara, Ontario. His battalion sailed from Halifax on the S.S. Empress of Britain on June 18, 1916. He embarked for Le Havre, France on August 10, 1916, where in October he was promoted to Corporal. On November 4 he was promoted to Sergeant when Sgt. J. K Hume was killed in action. It was not uncommon for men to be promoted so quickly considering the huge number of war casualties at this time.

In January 1917 he took the 5th General Course at Pernes-en-Artois, an important administrative and medical hub behind the British lines and then rejoined his unit. On July 10,1917, he was briefly hospitalized for a facial wound. By this time, the 84^th Battalion had been broken up, and its men were transferred to the 73^rd and 75 Battalions. 73rd Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada) did not exist as an active fighting unit by this time. Having suffered immense casualties at Vimy Ridge, it was withdrawn from the line, broken up, and disbanded in April 1917. So, Ernest likely served with the 75^th Battalion when he was wounded. The 75th Battalion was actively serving in France as part of the 11th Infantry Brigade, 4th Canadian Division. In early July 1917, the 4th Division was in the Lens sector, preparing for the upcoming Battle of Hill 70, which took place in August when almost certainly Ernest took part. When Ernest was wounded, the battalion would have been engaged in training, trench maintenance, or conducting raiding operations against German positions.

He continued his service on the continent until March 28, 1919, when he was transferred back to England, and on April 16 he embarked from Liverpool on the SS Belgic and disembarked in Halifax on April 23. He made his way to No. 2 District Depot, Toronto where he was discharged on April 25, 1919.

Ernest returned home to his family and his barbershop which the family had kept going. He was elected for a term to Town Council in 1925. He sang in the choir and was an active member at St. James Anglican Church. Sergeant Ernest Taylor died at 58 on May 26, 1945, at the Willett Hospital and was buried in the Paris Cemetery. His son, Walter Taylor took over the barber shop and like his father, enlisted in the Canadian Armed Forces in the Second World War.