Harold Taylor Wood Grant

Vice-Admiral Harold Taylor Wood Grant, (March 16, 1899 – May 8, 1965) was a Canadian naval officer and a post-war Chief of the Naval Staff.

Early life
Grant was born in 1899 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. His parents were Lieutenant Governor MacCallum Grant and Mrs. Laura MacNeill Parker Grant. One of his 5 brothers (also 1 sister) was John Moreau Grant. He studied at the Royal Naval College of Canada at Halifax, Nova Scotia from 1914 to 1917.

World War I
During World War I, Grant was as a midshipman with HMS Leviathan in February 1917. He served as Director of Canadian Naval Plans and Director of Naval Reserves. In 1938, he was appointed commanding officer of the destroyer HMCS Skeena.

World War II
At the outbreak of World War II, Grant was a member of the command staff of the Atlantic Coast. Promoted to Captain in 1940, he became Director of Naval Personnel. He was commanding officer of the Royal Navy Cruiser HMS Diomede in 1943. He was awarded the DSO for "gallantry and skill and good service in command of HMS Enterprise in an action with enemy destroyers". In the Bay of Biscay, HMS Enterprise and her sister ship, HMS Glasgow took on 11 German destroyers. The two ships sank three German ships, damaged several other German ships and chased the rest of the German ships into a French port. He was Mentioned in Despatches for his service during the D-Day invasion of Normandy June 1944. He was awarded the Bronze Star by the United States of America for his actions during the naval bombardment of Cherbourg, France.

Postwar
Grant was promoted Rear Admiral in 1946. He served as Chief of the Naval Staff from 1947 to 1951. After retiring, he served as president of the Home Steamship lines at Montreal, Quebec. Grant died in Rockliffe Park, Ottawa, Ontario on May 8, 1965. He was 66 years of age. He was survived by his son John MacGregor and his daughters Sarah Grant and Mrs. Caroline Gill.