Douglas Compton Taylor was educated at University College, London, and qualified from University College Hospital in 1906 with the Conjoint Diploma and the London MB, BS. He was house surgeon and casualty officer at University College Hospital, and took the FRCS in 1913. During the first world war he joined the RAMC, being commissioned Temporary Lieutenant in 1915, promoted to Captain in 1916 and acting Major in 1918. He served overseas in the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders, and ultimately relinquished his commission and was granted the rank of Major in February 1920. He was awarded the OBE and the MC. Taylor worked for a time as senior assistant medical officer of the Park Hospital for Children at Oxford, and also as deputy medical superintendent of Lewisham Hospital. He ultimately retired to Willington, near Shipton-on-Stour, Warwickshire, where he died on 30 March 1965 and was survived by his wife.