National Capital Chapter 70 - Ottawa, Canada

VE3AN Biography

VE3AN text

William grew up on a farm between Paris and Ayr, Ontario.

Education / Employment History

1915-1919 Regimental Signaler Canadian Army. Took part in assault on Vimy Ridge.
1924 - He graduated from Queens University with BASc degree (Civil Engineering).
1924-1939 Bell Telephone Company - Outside Plant Engineering - Quebec City. Here he was responsible for designing transmission facilities from the Ontario border to the Maritimes as part of the future Trans-Canada Telephone System. He was later posted to Sherbrooke, Quebec and Montreal, Quebec still in Outside Plant Engineering, and one of very few fully bilingual engineers within Bell Telephone Company at that time.
1939-1945 - Staff Officer Signals, Canadian Army Force W. He was one of the few Canadians to receive overseas medals for both World War I and World War II. He retired from active duty as Commander of Atlantic Command Signals.
1945-1958 Bell Telephone Company – Hamilton and then London, Ontario.
1958 - He retired to a lake-front property at Bath, Ontario near Kingston.

1922-1923 - Will was an active member of Queens University Wireless Club. Their 3QU call sign was assigned to him as no station licences were assigned to clubs then.
1936-1939 - He operated as VE2FD in Sherbrooke and Montreal, Quebec.
1948 - Operated with call sign VE3AN in London, Ontario and then at Bath, Ontario.

He joined Kingston Amateur Radio Club while living in retirement at Bath, Ontario and participated in several Field Days.

Though most of his on-air activity was in CW mode he also used AM and later SSB.

Will joined QCWA in 1976 and was a member of Chapter 70.

While in retirement he served as Frontenac County Clerk and Frontenac County Reeve

He was also a boater and member of the Canadian Power Squadron.

Will’s son is Croft Taylor VE3CT, former President of Quarter Century Wireless Association.

He passed away at Bath, ON Dec 5, 1991 at the age of 94 years.