Mary Talbot
Born(1922-02-17)17 February 1922
Died11 May 2012(2012-05-11) (aged 90)
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchRoyal Navy
Years of service1943–1976
RankCommandant
Commands heldWomen's Royal Naval Service (1973–76)
HMS Dauntless (1972–73)
Battles/warsSecond World War
AwardsCompanion of the Order of the Bath

Commandant Mary Irene Talbot, CB (17 February 1922 – 11 May 2012) was a British naval officer who served as Director of the Women's Royal Naval Service from 1973 to 1976.

Early life and education

Talbot was born on 17 February 1922.[1] She studied philosophy and economics at the University of Bristol, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree.[1][2]

Military career

In November 1943, Talbot joined the Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS) as a naval recruiting assistant.[1] She undertook the officer training course in 1944,[1] and she was made an acting third officer (equivalent in rank to acting sub-lieutenant) with seniority from 10 September.[3] She was then stationed at HMS Eaglet, where she served as an education and resettlement officer for the remainder of the Second World War.[1][2]

From 1945 to 1961, Talbot served on the staff of three separate commanders-in-chief: Mediterranean Fleet, The Nore, and Portsmouth.[2] She was promoted to second officer (equivalent to lieutenant) in March 1946 with seniority from 1 January,[4] to first officer (equivalent to lieutenant commander) in 1952,[1] and to chief officer (equivalent to commander) in 1960.[2] From 1963 to 1966, she served on the staff of the Director of Naval Manning.[1] In 1969, she was promoted to superintendent (equivalent to captain) and assigned to the staff of the Commander-in-Chief, Naval Home Command.[1] She was superintendent-in-charge of HMS Dauntless, the WRNS' training establishment, from 1972 to 1973.[2] Finally, from July 1973 to July 1976, she served as Director of the WRNS.[1][5][6] As director, she was promoted to commandant (equivalent to commodore).[1] In 1974, she instigated a Ministry of Defence Study Group to investigate the role of the WRNS: the report would lead to the women being integrated in the previously all-male Royal Navy.[2]

Talbot was appointed an Honorary Aide-de-Camp (Hon ADC) to Queen Elizabeth II in 1973 and,[1][7] in the 1975 New Year Honours, was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath.[8] Talbot retired from the WRNS on 18 October 1976.[9]

Later life

Talbot was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters (LLD) degree by the University of Bristol in July 1993.[1][10] She died, aged 90, on 11 May 2012.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 "Talbot, Commandant Mary (Irene)". Who Was Who. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2016. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U36967.(subscription may be required or content may be available in libraries)
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Stewart, William (2009). "TALBOT, MARY IRENE (1922-)". Admirals of the World: A Biographical Dictionary, 1500 to the Present. McFarland. p. 272. ISBN 978-0-7864-3809-9.
  3. ↑ "No. 36746". The London Gazette. 13 October 1944. p. 4702.
  4. ↑ "No. 37506". The London Gazette. 19 March 1946. p. 1446.
  5. ↑ "No. 45899". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 February 1973. p. 1679.
  6. ↑ "No. 46862". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 March 1976. p. 4693.
  7. ↑ "No. 46989". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 August 1976. p. 11247.
  8. ↑ "No. 46444". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 1974. p. 2.
  9. ↑ "No. 47036". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 October 1976. p. 13762.
  10. ↑ "University of Bristol Photographic Unit: negatives and photographs". University of Bristol Library. University of Bristol. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
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