Norman Tailyour
Encyclopedia
General
Sir Norman Hastings Tailyour KCB
DSO
(1914-1979) was a Royal Marines
officer who became Commandant General Royal Marines
.
as Commander of the Royal Marines on the Landing Craft Base
HMS Robertson from 1943, as Executive Officer on the Land Craft Base HMS St Mathew from later that year and then as Commander of 27th Battalion Royal Marines in North West Europe from 1945.
He was appointed Commanding Officer of 45 Commando
in 1954. As Lieutenant-Colonel, he was the commanding officer of 45 Commando, flown off by helicopter to land at the Port Said
during the Suez Crisis
in 1956 when he was also wounded by a Fleet Air Arm Wyvern - friendly fire. This was the first helicopter-borne, opposed assault from the sea in history. He became Commander of the Royal Marine Barracks at Plymouth
in 1957, Chief of Staff to the Amphibious Warfare Representative in Washington D. C. in 1958 and Commander 3 Commando Brigade
in 1960. He went on to be Commander Plymouth Group of the Royal Marines in 1962 and Commandant General Royal Marines
in 1965 before retiring in 1968.
In retirement he was Captain of Deal Castle from 1972 to 1980. He was an Honorary Admiral in the Texan Navy and an Honorary Lance Corporal in the French Zuaves. He was the Commodore of the Royal Marines Sailing Club and the first Honorary Flag Officer. He was also a member of the Royal Yacht Squadron, the Royal Naval Sailing Association (Rear Commodore) and the Royal Cruising Club. His son Ewen Southby-Tailyour
was also a Royal Marines officer, who served with distinction in Dhofar
and the Falklands War
: he is also a yachtsman. His brother-in-law was a Royal Marines Major, one nephew was a Royal Marines Brigadier and another nephew was a Captain in the Royal Marines Reserve.
He was twice mentioned in despatches (NW Europe 1945 and Suez 1956) and was awarded his first DSO when in command of 27 Battalion Royal Marines in 1945 and a bar to the DSO when commanding 45 Commando in Cyprus in 1956.
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Sir Norman Hastings Tailyour KCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(1914-1979) was a Royal Marines
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
officer who became Commandant General Royal Marines
Commandant General Royal Marines
The Commandant General Royal Marines is the professional head of the Royal Marines. The title has existed since 1945...
.
Military career
Tailyour was commissioned into the Royal Marines in 1933. He served in World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as Commander of the Royal Marines on the Landing Craft Base
Amphibious transport dock
An amphibious transport dock, also called a landing platform/dock , is an amphibious warfare ship, a warship that embarks, transports, and lands elements of a landing force for expeditionary warfare missions. Several navies currently operate this kind of ship...
HMS Robertson from 1943, as Executive Officer on the Land Craft Base HMS St Mathew from later that year and then as Commander of 27th Battalion Royal Marines in North West Europe from 1945.
He was appointed Commanding Officer of 45 Commando
45 Commando
45 Commando Royal Marines is a battalion sized unit of the British Royal Marines and subordinate unit within 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines, the principal Commando formation, under the Operational Command of Commander in Chief Fleet....
in 1954. As Lieutenant-Colonel, he was the commanding officer of 45 Commando, flown off by helicopter to land at the Port Said
Port Said
Port Said is a city that lies in north east Egypt extending about 30 km along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Suez Canal, with an approximate population of 603,787...
during the Suez Crisis
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
in 1956 when he was also wounded by a Fleet Air Arm Wyvern - friendly fire. This was the first helicopter-borne, opposed assault from the sea in history. He became Commander of the Royal Marine Barracks at Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
in 1957, Chief of Staff to the Amphibious Warfare Representative in Washington D. C. in 1958 and Commander 3 Commando Brigade
3 Commando Brigade
3 Commando Brigade is a commando formation of the British Armed Forces and the main manoeuvre formation of the Royal Marines. Its personnel are predominantly Royal Marines, supported by units of Royal Engineers, Royal Artillery, The Rifles, and the Fleet Air Arm, together with other Commando...
in 1960. He went on to be Commander Plymouth Group of the Royal Marines in 1962 and Commandant General Royal Marines
Commandant General Royal Marines
The Commandant General Royal Marines is the professional head of the Royal Marines. The title has existed since 1945...
in 1965 before retiring in 1968.
In retirement he was Captain of Deal Castle from 1972 to 1980. He was an Honorary Admiral in the Texan Navy and an Honorary Lance Corporal in the French Zuaves. He was the Commodore of the Royal Marines Sailing Club and the first Honorary Flag Officer. He was also a member of the Royal Yacht Squadron, the Royal Naval Sailing Association (Rear Commodore) and the Royal Cruising Club. His son Ewen Southby-Tailyour
Ewen Southby-Tailyour
Lieutenant Colonel Ewen Southby-Tailyour OBE is an author, sailor, and retired Royal Marine who served for 32 years in the Royal Marines retiring with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel specialising in amphibious vessels from all the NATO countries...
was also a Royal Marines officer, who served with distinction in Dhofar
Dhofar Rebellion
The Dhofar Rebellion was launched in the province of Dhofar against the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman, which had British support, from 1962 to 1976. It ended with the defeat of the rebels, but the state of Oman had to be radically reformed and modernised to cope with the campaign.-Background:In...
and the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
: he is also a yachtsman. His brother-in-law was a Royal Marines Major, one nephew was a Royal Marines Brigadier and another nephew was a Captain in the Royal Marines Reserve.
He was twice mentioned in despatches (NW Europe 1945 and Suez 1956) and was awarded his first DSO when in command of 27 Battalion Royal Marines in 1945 and a bar to the DSO when commanding 45 Commando in Cyprus in 1956.