Justin Taylor grew up on a sugar farm in Zululand, South Africa and spoke Zulu before he could speak English. He was sent to boarding school for ten years before reporting for National Service in 1979. Doing ‘your bit’ for your country runs in Taylor’s family – his grandfather was a fighter pilot in the Royal Flying Corps in the first World War and his father flew Spitfires for the South African Air Force in the Second World War.

Drafted into the military in 1979, he completed two years of National Service as a Signals Officer with 32 Battalion in the Namibian/Angolan conflict (1979-80). Justin was wounded at the Battle of Savate and awarded the Chief of SADF Commendation Medal (MMM) for services of a high order. He then went on to complete his part-time military service with 2 Reconnaissance Regiment.

Justin holds a BA from the University of Cape Town, majoring in Economics and Psychology and a MBL from the University of South Africa. He published his first book “A Whisper in the Reeds” in 2013 and now lives in St Francis Bay managing his businesses online and writing his next book, Fighter Pilots and Polo Players. When not working he surfs and makes best use of his private pilot’s licence. He is married with two daughters.

A Whisper in the Reeds