Mary Talbot (WRNS officer)
Mary Talbot | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Mary Irene Talbot |
| Born | 17 February 1922 |
| Died | 11 May 2012 (aged 90) |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/ | Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1943–1976 |
| Rank | Commandant |
| Commands held | Women's Royal Naval Service (1973–1976) HMS Dauntless (1972–1973) |
| Battles/wars | Second World War |
Commandant Mary Irene Talbot, CB, Hon ADC (17 February 1922 – 11 May 2012) was a British naval officer who served as Director of the Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS) 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 (BA) 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 made an acting third officer (equivalent in rank to acting sub-lieutenant) with seniority from 10 September 1944.[3] She was then stationed at HMS Eaglet, where she served as an education and resettlement officer for the rest of the Second World War.[1][2]
Between 1945 and 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 1946,[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 staff of the Director of Naval Manning.[1] In 1969, she was promoted to superintendent (equivalent to captain) and assigned to the staff of Commander-in-Chief, Naval Home Command.[1] From 1972 to 1973, she was superintendent-in-charge of HMS Dauntless, the WRNS' training establishment.[2] Finally, from July 1973 to July 1976, she served as Director of the Women's Royal Naval Service.[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: their report would lead to the women being integrated in the previously all-male Royal Navy.[2]
Talbot retired from the Royal Navy on 18 October 1976.[7]
Honours
In 1973, Talbot was appointed an Honorary Aide-de-Camp (Hon ADC) to Queen Elizabeth II.[1][8] In the 1975 New Year Honours, she was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB).[9] In July 1993, she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters (LLD) degree by the University of Bristol.[1][10]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Talbot, Commandant Mary (Irene)". Who Was Who. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2016. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U36967.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|url=(help) - ^ a b c d e f 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.
- ^ "No. 36746". The London Gazette. 13 October 1944. p. 4702.
- ^ "No. 37506". The London Gazette. 19 March 1946. p. 1446.
- ^ "No. 45899". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 February 1973. p. 1679.
- ^ "No. 46862". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 March 1976. p. 4693.
- ^ "No. 47036". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 October 1976. p. 13762.
- ^ "No. 46989". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 August 1976. p. 11247.
- ^ "No. 46444". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 1974. p. 2.
- ^ "University of Bristol Photographic Unit: negatives and photographs". University of Bristol Library. University of Bristol. Retrieved 18 April 2018.