| Sir Norman Tailyour | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1914 |
| Died | 1979 |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | Royal Marines |
| Years of service | 1933–1968 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands held | 45 Commando 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order |
General Sir Norman Hastings Tailyour KCB DSO (1914-1979) was a Royal Marines officer who became Commandant General Royal Marines.
Tailyour was commissioned into the Royal Marines in 1933.[1] He served in World War II 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.[1]
He was appointed Commanding Officer of 45 Commando in 1954.[1] As Lieutenant-Colonel, he was the commanding officer of 45 Commando, flown off HMS Theseus by helicopter to land at the Port Said during the Suez Crisis in 1956[1] 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.[1] 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.[1]
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.
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Sir Malcolm Cartwright-Taylor |
Commandant General Royal Marines 1965 – 1968 |
Succeeded by Sir Peter Hellings |