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Remembering World War II
Lloyd Elwin Taylor Flight Lieutenant J/27799 354 (RAF) Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force October 29, 1919 Halifax, NS August 2, 1941 Halifax, NS Amherst, Cumberland Co., NS 21 5 feet, 9¼ inches Fair Blue Blonde Single (at enlistment) Clerk Baptist Austin Taylor (Father) Amherst, NS April 22, 1945 25 Singapore Memorial Column 455 Commemorated on Page 569 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on November 28 Flight Lieutenant Taylor was the son of Austin Wylie Taylor and Bessie Isabel Taylor of Amherst, NS. He was the husband of Ester Bertha Taylor of Amherst, NS. They married on September 5, 1944. Immediately prior to his enlistment with the RCAF, Lloyd Taylor completed training at No. 61 Basic Training Centre, New Glasglow and advanced training at Aldershot, NS (April 17, 1941 - August 1, 1941). On joining the RCAF he trained and served in Canada until March 19, 1943 when he joined No.111 Operational Training Unit (OTU) in Nassau, Bahamas. The unit was established by the Royal Air Force to serve as a training location for the B24 Liberator bomber. The Bahamas provided space to carry out operational flying training beyond the range of German aircraft. Once trained Canadians joined Atlantic aircraft ferrying operations or were posted to the Far East. In August of 1944, Flight Lieutenant Taylor returned to Canada until January, 1945 when he went overseas to the United Kingdom and to 354 (RAF) Squadron, India. No.354 Squadron was an anti- submarine and anti-shipping squadron based at at Cuttack between January and May 1945. On April 22, 1945, Liberator EV683 with a crew of ten of Squadron 354 failed to return from an anti- shipping sweep off the coast of South Burma during which enemy shipping was attacked On the return journey an SOS message was sent at 10:55 pm; however, the aircraft was ditched five minutes later and sank almost immediately. Five of the crew were lost, including 1st Pilot Lloyd Taylor. Five of the crew managed to escape the sinking aircraft and managed to get into dinghies. Air/sea Rescue aircraft were airborne as soon as possible on a search. It was not until April 25 a Catalina aircraft of 191 Squadron alighted on the sea and picked up the survivors. The cause of the failure of the aircraft to return to base was not definitely established but the report of the Flight Engineer indicated that the cause was probably shortage of fuel. The remains of the five missing crew were never recovered and their names are listed on the Singapore Memorial.
Lloyd Elwin Taylor
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Name: Rank: Service No: Service: Date of Birth: Place of Birth: Date of Enlistment: Place of Enlistment: Address at Enlistment: Age at Enlistment: Height: Complexion: Eye Colour: Hair Colour: Marital Status: Trade: Religion: Next of Kin: Date of Death: Age at Death: Cemetery: Reference:
Column 455, Singapore Memorial