Ewen Southby-Tailyour
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Ewen Southby-Tailyour | |
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Born | 18 January 1942 |
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Service/ | Officer of the Order of the British Empire Sultan of Muscat's Bravery Medal |
Other work | Yacht skipper, author |
Early life
The son of General
Military career
Southby-Tailyour's early career included active service on operations in
Southby-Tailyour was attached to the
In 1978, Southby-Tailyour was the officer commanding a small Royal Marines detachment that was posted to the Falkland Islands. The following year he was promoted to
It was Southby-Tailyour who provided the Falkland Islands (Governor's) Flag for the raising ceremony at Government House on 17 June 1982. He had stolen the flag as a souvenir during his 1978–1979 military tour, and during the operation to retake the islands from Argentina, Southby-Tailyour confessed the theft and offered the flag back to the governor, Sir Rex Hunt. Hunt told him that he would forgive the theft if Southby-Tailyour personally put the flag back from where he had taken it, so in this manner, he obliged.[4]
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Royal Marines posing with the flag that Southby-Tailyour originally stole - and subsequently returned - to Government House |
Southby-Tailyour's final four years' service were spent on the staffs of the Commandant General Royal Marines, and the Director General Surface Ships (Amphibious Group), helping to design and procure the next generation of amphibious shipping and craft, most notably
.Post-military career
On retirement Southby-Tailyour was employed by the
In 1991, he established an amphibious consultancy that advised builders and governments on the design of amphibious vessels and the procedures for their operation.
He has published 17 books on amphibious-related subjects (including two novels) and is a commercial
Southby-Tailyour has been a member of the Royal Yacht Squadron since 1970 and has twice been awarded an engraved Rolex watch for exploring in high latitudes as well as winning the Camrose Trophy. Since 1972 he has been a member of the Royal Cruising Club which has twice awarded him the Goldsmith Exploration Award for charting the last five un-surveyed fiords in Iceland and for surveying much of the Falkland Islands coastline. He entered for the first nine, quadrennial Two Handed Round Britain and Ireland races and navigated six Fastnet races. The Ocean Cruising Club awarded him their Award of Merit for sailing single-handed during an Arctic winter. In 2021 he was invited to join the South West Shingles Yacht Club.
In 2006, he inaugurated and continued to organise the single-handed, Jester Challenge for yachts between 20 and 30 feet overall until he 'retired' in 2021 when he was 'elected' the Patron. Held annually the destinations are, in turn, Newport, Rhode Island, United States, Terceira in the Azores and Baltimore in the Republic of Ireland. In 2013 the Ocean Cruising Club awarded him the Jester Medal for "services to single-handed sailing."
He sat on the
In July 2019 he was elected a Younger Brother of Trinity House.
Personal life
Southby-Tailyour lives in south Devon and the French Pyrenees.
Bibliography
- Falkland Islands Shores [Macmillan/Nautical, 1985]
- Reasons in Writing: A Commando's View of the Falklands War [Leo Cooper, 1993]
- Amphibious Assault Falklands: The Battle for San Carlos co-written with Michael Clapp [Leo Cooper/Orion, 1996]
- Blondie: A Life of Lieutenant-Colonel HG Hasler DSO OBE [Leo Cooper, 1998]
- Jane’s Amphibious Warfare Capabilities [Jane's. Biannual to 1999]
- Jane's Amphibious and Special Forces [Jane's. Biannual since 1999 to 2014]
- The Next Moon. A Special Operations Executive Agent in France, co-written with André Hue [Penguin/Viking, 2004]
- Jane's Special Forces Equipment Recognition Guide [HarperCollins, 2005]
- HMS Fearless, The Mighty Lion [Pen and Sword, 2006]
- Skeletons for Sadness [Seafarer Books, 2007]
- 3 Commando Brigade, Helmand [Random House/Ebury Press, 2008]
- Commando Assault, Helmand [Random House/Ebury Press, 2010]
- Nothing Impossible. A Portrait of The Royal Marines 1664 – 2010 [TMI, 2010]. Editor
- Exocet Falklands. The Untold Story of Special Forces Operations [Pen and Sword, 2014]
- Death's Sting. Duplicity and Deceit in the Balkans [Westlake Books 2017]
- Paid to Predict. Duplicity, Deceit and Dishonesty among 'Allies' in the Balkans [Fonthill Media 2020]
- A Life in Letters. Plus a selection of, very many, essays [Michael Terence Publishing 2024]
References
- ^ "No. 49134". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 October 1982. p. 12857.
- ^ "The Pangbournian, No.40 – News from OPs". Old Pangbournian Society. 2010. Archived from the original on 2 September 2014.
- ^ "No. 47738". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 January 1979. p. 328.
- ISBN 0-233-97515-2.
- ISBN 978-0-09-193776-8.