Allied Warships

HMS Talybont (L 18)

Escort destroyer of the Hunt (Type III) class

NavyThe Royal Navy
TypeEscort destroyer
ClassHunt (Type III) 
PennantL 18 
Built byJ.S. White & Co. (Cowes, U.K.) 
Ordered28 Jul 1940 
Laid down28 Nov 1942 
Launched3 Feb 1943 
Commissioned19 May 1943 
End service 
History

Scrapped at Charlestown on 10 March 1961.

 

Commands listed for HMS Talybont (L 18)

Please note that we're still working on this section
and that we only list Commanding Officers for the duration of the Second World War.

CommanderFromTo
1Lt. Edward Francis Baines, DSO, RN30 Mar 194331 Jul 1944
2Lt. John Arundell Holdsworth, RN31 Jul 1944Jun 1946

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Notable events involving Talybont include:


12 Jun 1943
During 12/13 June 1943, the battleship HMS Valiant (Capt. L.H. Ashmore, RN) conducted exercises off Scapa Flow. She was escorted by the destroyers HMS Onslow (Capt. J.A. McCoy, DSO, RN), HMS Panther (Lt.Cdr. R.W. Jocelyn, RN) and the escort destroyer HMS Talybont (Lt. E.F. Baines, DSO, RN). (1)

17 Jun 1943
HMS Upstart (Lt. P.C. Chapman, DSC and Bar, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Scapa Flow with HMS Talybont (Lt. E.F. Baines, DSO, RN) and HMS Milne (Capt. I.M.R. Campbell, DSO, RN). (2)

21 Jun 1943
During the morning, HMS Truant (Lt.Cdr. J.G. Hopkins, RN), carried out A/S exercises at Scapa Flow with HMS Savage (Cdr. R.C. Gordon, DSO, RN) and HMS Talybont (Lt. E.F. Baines, DSO, RN).

During the afternoon A/S exercises were carried out with HMS Roebuck (Cdr. J.T. Lean, DSO, RN) and HMS Onslaught (Cdr. W.H. Selby, DSC, RN). (3)

30 Jun 1943
HMS Sheffield (Capt. C.T. Addis, RN) conducted torpedo firing exercises at Scapa Flow. These were followed by underway refuelling exercises with the destroyer HMS Savage (Cdr. R.C. Gordon, DSO, RN) and the escort destroyer HMS Talybont (Lt. E.F. Baines, DSO, RN).

HMS Sheffield then departed Scapa Flow for exercises in the Pentland Firth during which she also served as target for HMS Norfolk (A/Capt. J.S.S. Litchfield-Speer, RN) and a submarine (either HMS Tantalus (Lt.Cdr. H.S. Mackenzie, DSO and Bar, RN) or HMS Thrasher (Lt.Cdr. A.R. Hezlet, DSC, RN). (4)

13 Jul 1943
During the day, HMS Scylla (Capt. I.A.P. Macintyre, CBE, DSO, RN) conducted special gunnery exercises off Plymouth on completion of which she proceeded to Falmouth Bay where the trials party was put onboard HMS Talybont (Lt. E.F. Baines, DSO, RN) which had accompanied HMS Scylla during these trials. She then left Falmouth to proceed to Gibraltar. (5)

4 Oct 1943
The battleship HMS Malaya (Capt. G.E.M. O’Donnell, DSO, RN) departed Greenock for Plymouth. She was escorted by the destroyer HMS Skate (Lt. J.C. Rushbrooke, DSC, RN) and the frigate HMS Bentinck (Cdr. E.H. Chavasse, DSO, DSC, RN) until 1530/4 when the escort destroyers HMS Melbreak (Lt. G.J. Kirkby, DSC and Bar, RN) and HMS Talybont (Lt. E.F. Baines, DSO, RN) took over.

At 0645/5, the escort destoyer HMS Tanatside (Lt.Cdr. F.D. Brown, RN) joined.

HMS Malaya and her escorts arrived at Plymouth around 1000/5. (6)

22 Oct 1943
Around 1900A/22, ' Force 28 ', made up of the AA cruiser HMS Charybdis (Capt. G.A.W. Voelcker, RN), destroyers HMS Grenville (Lt.Cdr. R.P. Hill, DSO, RN), HMS Rocket (Lt.Cdr. H.B. Acworth, OBE, RN) and the escort destroyers HMS Limbourne (A/Cdr. W.J. Phipps, MVO, RN), HMS Melbreak (Lt. G.J. Kirkby, DSC and Bar, RN), HMS Talybont (Lt. E.F. Baines, DSO, RN) and HMS Wensleydale (Lt. J.A. McClure, DSC, RN) departed Plymouth for a sweep along the north coast of Brittany. (7)

23 Oct 1943

Sinking of HMS Charybdis and HMS Limbourne.

Around 0135A/23, ' Force 28, made up of HMS Charybdis (Capt. G.A.W. Voelcker, RN), HMS Grenville (Lt.Cdr. R.P. Hill, DSO, RN), HMS Rocket (Lt.Cdr. H.B. Acworth, OBE, RN), HMS Limbourne (A/Cdr. W.J. Phipps, MVO, RN), HMS Melbreak (Lt. G.J. Kirkby, DSC and Bar, RN), HMS Talybont (Lt. E.F. Baines, DSO, RN) and HMS Wensleydale (Lt. J.A. McClure, DSC, RN) encountered the German 4. Torpedo Boat Flotilla made up of T 22, T 23, T 25, T 26 and T 27.

In the resulting action HMS Charybdis and HMS Limbourne were hit by torpedoes and both sank as a result. HMS Charybdis was hit by the T 23 and T 27 while HMS Limbourne was hit by T 22.

' Force 28 ' was proceeding to the west at 14 knots when HMS Charybdis obtained a contact about 7 miles north of Triagoz Island. Two units were contacted about 9000 yards almost right ahead. HMS Charybdis opened fire with star shell but before these burst she was torpedoed amidships on the port side.

A number of torpedoes were observed by the other ships. HMS Charybdis was then hit by a second torpedo. HMS Limbourne was shortly afterwards also hit by one torpedo on the port side forward and the bow was blown off.

The enemy was not seen by the remaining ships and they soon became scattered in a heavy rain squall. HMS Grenville, which was now the ' Senior ' ship, reformed the surviving the ships and they returned to the scene of the action. The three remaining Hunt-class destroyers where then ordered to search for survivors while HMS Grenville and HMS Rocket searched for the enemy to the westward. They rejoined with the Hunt-class destroyers around 0500A/23. After picking up the survivors the force departed the scene of the action around 0630A/23. 4 Officers and 103 ratings were picked up from HMS Charybdis while from HMS Limbourne 11 Officers, including the Commanding Officer, and 92 ratings were picked up. (8)

30 Nov 1943
Around 0930A/30, HMS Howe (Capt. C.H.L. Woodhouse, CB, RN) departed Scapa Flow for Plymouth where she is to refit at the Devonport Dockyard. On departure from Scapa Flow she was not escorted.

The escort destroyers HMS Talybont (Lt. E.F. Baines, DSO, RN) and HMS Tanatside (Cdr. B.J. de St. Croix, RN) joined around 2030A/1.

Around 0045A/2, HMS Talybont was in collision with the merchant vessel Florence Reynolds (British, 397 GRT, built 1923). As a result the merchant vessel sank at 0340A/2 in position 51°01'N, 04°44'W.

Around 0215A/2, HMS Tanatside was detached to stand by HMS Talabont which had also sustained damage.

Around 0430A/2, the destroyer HMS Janus (Lt.Cdr. W.B.R. Morrison, RN) joined.

HMS Howe and HMS Janus arrived at Plymouth around 0850A/2. (9)

9 Feb 1944
HMS Glasgow (Capt. C.P. Clarke, DSO, RN) conducted torpedo firing and gunnery exercises off Plymouth. During the torpedo exercises HMS Talybont (Lt.Cdr. E.F. Baines, DSO, RN) acted as target. (10)

19 Feb 1944
During 19/20 February 1944, the light cruiser HMS Bellona (Capt. C.F.W. Norris, RN), destroyers HMS Tartar (Cdr. St.J.R.J. Tyrwhitt, DSC, RN), HMCS Athabascan (Lt.Cdr. J.H. Stubbs, RCN), HMCS Haida (Cdr. H.G. De Wolf, RCN), HMCS Huron (Lt.Cdr. H.S. Rayner, DSC, RCN) and the escort destroyers HMS Talybont (Lt.Cdr. E.F. Baines, DSO, RN) and HMS Tanatside (Cdr. B.J. de St. Croix, RN) conducted exercises near Lands End and the Scilly Islands. (11)

3 Jun 1944

Passage of the bulk of ' Bombardment Group O ' from Belfast to the operations area.

Shortly after 0200B/3, the battleships USS Texas (Capt. C.A. Baker, USN, flying the flag of T/R.Adm. C.F. Bryant, USN), USS Arkansas (Capt. F.G. Richards, USN), USS Nevada (Capt. P.M. Rhea, USN), light cruisers Georges Leygues (Capt. J.E.A. Laurin), Montcalm (Capt. L.M.J.A. Deprez). These ships were, with the exception off USS Nevada, part of ' Bombardment Group O ' (Task Group 124.8).

They were escorted by the destroyers USS Jeffers (T/Cdr. H.Q. Murray, USN with COMDESRON 17, T/Capt. A.C. Murdaugh, USN on board), Murphy (T/Cdr. R.A. Wolverton, USN), USS Plunkett (T/Cdr. W. Outerson, USN), USS Gherardi (T/Cdr. N.R. Curtin, USN) and Murphy (T/Cdr. R.A. Wolverton, USN) and the escort destroyers Amesbury (Lt.Cdr. A.B. Wilbor, USNR) and Blessman (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Gillis, USNR). The escort vessels were not part of the actual bombardment group but of an escort group (Task Group 124.7).

Around 0730B/4, when near Plymouth, the force turned around after a signal was received that the invastion was postponed for 24 hours. Course was set to return to the northwards along the same track.

Around 2200B/4, course was reversed again to return to the southwards.

Around 0730B/5, USS Nevada was detached to join ' Bombardment Group U '. Around the same time the light cruiser HMS Glasgow (Capt. C.P. Clarke, DSO, RN) joined the group.

Around 1215B/5, the escort destroyers HMS Tanatside (Cdr. B.J. de St. Croix, RN), HMS Talybont (Lt.Cdr. E.F. Baines, DSO, RN) and HMS Melbreak (Lt. G.J. Kirkby, DSC and Bar, RN) joined.

Around 0300B/6, the group began to arrive in the operations area.

3 Jul 1944
German U-boat U-1191 was sunk in the English Channel, south-west of Brighton, in position 50°09'N, 00°15'W, by depth charges from the British destroyers HMS Onslaught (Cdr. the Hon. A. Pleydell-Bouverie, RN) and HMS Oribi (Lt.Cdr. J.C.A. Ingram, DSC, RN), the British escort destroyers HMS Brissenden (Lt. the Hon. D.D.E. Vivian, RN), HMS Wensleydale (A/Lt.Cdr. W.P. Goodfellow, RNVR) and HMS Talybont (Lt.Cdr. E.F. Baines, DSO, RN) and the British frigate HMS Seymour (Lt. G.J. Parry, RNR).

Sources

  1. ADM 53/118673
  2. ADM 173/18374
  3. ADM 173/18284
  4. ADM 53/118526
  5. ADM 53/118509
  6. ADM 53/117885
  7. ADM 199/2280
  8. ADM 199/2281
  9. ADM 53/117639 + ADM 53/117640 + ADM 199/2284 + ADM 199/2285
  10. ADM 53/119488
  11. ADM 53/118971

ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.


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