Class

Boat

Talisman (N 78)

Built By:	Cammell Laird (Mersey)
Build Group:	T 1
Fate:	HMS Talisman left Gibraltar on 10th September 1942 with stores bound for Malta. She reported sighting a U-boat off Philippeville, Algeria on the 14th, but was not heard from again. HMS Talisman is presumed to have been lost on Italian mines in off Sicily. Though Italians claim to have sunk a submarine on the 17/9/1942 to the north west of Malta. Talisman had been due to arrive at Malta on 18th September 1942.

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1940-1941: Home Station.
1941-1942: Mediterranean Station.

Roll of Honour

Abbott, Herbert William

P/JX 274845

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 35

Able Seaman

Abbott, Kenneth Patrick

C/JX 146230

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 22

Petty Officer

Algar, Albert Edward

D/JX 137238

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 25

Leading Seaman

Aven, Arthur Albert MID

P/KX 93116

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 22

Leading Stoker

Beaton, John Main

C/JX 157253

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 20

Leading Telegraphist

Beattie, George

P/SKX 220

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 20

Stoker 1st Class

Beckett, Joseph

D/JX 190290

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 21

Able Seaman

Bell, Arthur Robinson

P/SSX 20192

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 27

Able Seaman

Bousfield, John

C/JX 148165

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 28

Able Seaman

Bowers, George James

C/JX 155109

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 20

Telegraphist

Brand, Patrick

C/KX 83617

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 27

Leading Stoker

Brendon, Michael John

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 22

Lieutenant

Bullock, Edmund Thomas DSM

D/M 34905

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 38

Engine Room Artificer 1st Class

Callaghan, Frank

D/KX 122480

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 33

Stoker 1st Class

Calvert, William Henry

C/KX 135226

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 19

Stoker 1st Class

Carey, Ronald James

C/JX 203003

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 24

Able Seaman

Carlisle, Edward Humble

D/KX 132725

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 20

Stoker 1st Class

Coleman, Leonard George DSM

P/JX 129212

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 31

Leading Seaman

Collins, John Henry

D/JX 136207

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 25

Petty Officer

Connolly, Jack

C/KX 101049

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 23

Able Seaman

Coulter, Norman George

C/KX 92557

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 23

Stoker 1st Class

Deary, Richard

C/SSX 30938

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 21

Able Seaman

Eves, William Donald Heath

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 21

Sub Lieutenant

Fairfield, James

D/JX 136787

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 26

Leading Seaman

Flynn, David MID

D/JX 134042

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 28

Petty Officer

Foley, John Thomas

D/LX 22224

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 29

Leading Steward

Forsyth, Donald Douglas

P/MX 57727

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 25

Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class

Foulger, James MID

C/KX 83317

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 28

Stoker Petty Officer

Freeman, Stanley

P/JX 100519

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 21

Stoker 1st Class

Gall, Carl Edward

C/KX 114291

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 21

Stoker 1st Class

Gormley, Francis Joseph

D/JX 169386

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 23

Able Seaman

Grant, William Job

C/KX 90653

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 24

Stoker 1st Class

Hayburn, Andrew Joseph

D/JX 160711

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 20

Able Seaman

Haydon, Herbert Sydney

D/KX 81275

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 32

Stoker 1st Class

Hazzard, Kenneth

P/KX 117737

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 21

Stoker 1st Class

Jackson, Richard DSM

P/MX 54422

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 27

Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class

James, Frank Stanley

C/J 109512

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 35

Able Seaman

Jancey, Stephen

D/JX 127692

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 31

Leading Seaman

Kirby, Maurice Willard

P/KX 89474

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 24

Leading Stoker

Lewis, Arthur Edward

D/MX 74704

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 21

Engine Room Artificer 4th Class

Mack, David William

D/MX 50509

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 27

Petty Officer Cook

Mahoney, Patrick

P/SSX 25966

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 22

Able Seaman

Marshall, Albert Richard

C/KX 144382

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 21

Stoker 2nd Class

McEdward, John Craig

P/SSX 23361

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 22

Able Seaman

McNally, William John

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 31

Engineer Lieutenant

Merritt, Ronald John

P/SSX 32643

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 20

Able Seaman

Milligan, James Thomas

D/JX 198543

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 22

Able Seaman

Morris, Edward

P/JX 128030

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 31

Petty Officer

Morse, William George DSM

D/JX 202869

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 25

Able Seaman

Musgrove, William Charles

P/SSX 29947

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 22

Telegraphist

Neilson, Thomas Paterson

C/MX 77954

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 20

Engine Room Artificer 4th Class

Oakes, Harry George MID

C/JX 133119

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 28

Petty Officer

Robinson, William

C/JX 147371

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 23

Able Seaman

Robson, Theophil Robert

C/MX 59052

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 22

Engine Room Artificer 4th Class

Street, Frederick Charles Alfred

P/KX 135119

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 20

Stoker 1st Class

Sullivan, Patrick John

D/KX 88242

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 27

Leading Stoker

Thornhill, Albert Arthur

P/KX 117421

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 22

Stoker 1st Class

Tolley, George William

P/SSX 31689

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 21

Leading Signalman

Waterlow, Oscar Stephen Verity MID

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 22

Lieutenant

Wheeler, James William

P/KX 78798

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 33

Stoker Petty Officer

Willmott, Michael DSO

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 33

Lieutenant Commander

Commanding Officer

Witham, Leslie Ronald

P/KX 112598

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 22

Stoker 1st Class

Wood, George

C/MX 77710

Died: 17th Sep, 1942.

Aged: 22

Engine Room Artificer 4th Class

Events

27-09-1938

Laid Down

29-01-1940

Launched

29-06-1940

Completed

25-11-1940

HMS Talisman captures the French fishing vessel Le Clipper in the Bay of Biscay near Lorient.

16-08-1941

HMS Talisman attacks a submarine with torpedoes about 140 nautical miles north-west of Alexandria. All torpedoes fired fortunately missed their target as the submarine attacked later turned out to be HMS Otus.

30-08-1941

HMS Talisman claims the sinking of two sailing vessels with gunfire north of Benghazi, Libya.

01-10-1941

HMS Talisman attacks an Italian convoy with torpedoes in the Zea Channel missing the Italian merchant Lauretta. Talisman was heavily depth charged by the escorting Italian torpedo boat Libra.

03-10-1941

HMS Talisman destroyes the wreck of the German merchant Yalova that is grounded at Agios Giorgios Island.

04-10-1941

HMS Talisman torpedoes and sinks the Vichy-French passenger ship Theophile Gautier off Euboa Island, Greece.

07-10-1941

HMS Talisman attacks the German merchant Salzburg with torpedoes west-north-west of Kasos Island, Greece. All torpedoes missed.

11-12-1941

HMS Talisman torpedoes and sinks the Italian merchant Calitea some 90 miles south of Cape Matapan.

17-09-1942

HMS Talisman left Gib for passage to Malta, where she was due no later than the 18th. Messages were received from the submarine on the 14th but she failed to arrive at Malta. The Italians claim to have sunk a submarine on the 17th to the north west of Malta. this is believed to have been the Talisman

Adoption

Officially adopted by Altrincham
Warship Week from 7 Feb 1942 to 14 Feb 1942

Submarine Adoptions

Official

T 1 Specification

Length overall	275 ft
Beam	26 ft 6 inch
Depth	14 ft 3 inch
Displacement	1327 tons (surface)
	1575 tons (submerged)
Diving Depth	300 ft
Speed	Surface 15.25 knots (design)
	Surface 15.25 knots (service)
	Submerged 9 knots (design)
	Submerged8.75 knots (service)
No. of shafts	2
Endurance	Surface: 7500 miles at 15.25 knots (design)
	(ii) Surface: 8000 miles at 10 knots (service)
	Submerged: 80 miles at 4 knots (design)
	Submerged: 80 miles at 4 knots (service)
Armament	(i) 8 21 inch bow tubes (2 external)
	2 x 21 inch amidship tubes
	(16 torpedoes carried)
	1 x 4 inch gun
	(ii) 0.303 inch machine-guns
Complement	(peacetime) 5 Officers and 51 Ratings
	(wartime) 6 Officers and 56 Ratings
Notes	(i) As an alternative load, Group 1 submarines could carry 18 mines
	(ii) These were later replaced by, or supplemented by one 20mm Oerlikon cannon

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Class

Boat

Official

T 1 Specification

Length overall	275 ft
Beam	26 ft 6 inch
Depth	14 ft 3 inch
Displacement	1327 tons (surface)
	1575 tons (submerged)
Diving Depth	300 ft
Speed	Surface 15.25 knots (design)
	Surface 15.25 knots (service)
	Submerged 9 knots (design)
	Submerged8.75 knots (service)
No. of shafts	2
Endurance	Surface: 7500 miles at 15.25 knots (design)
	(ii) Surface: 8000 miles at 10 knots (service)
	Submerged: 80 miles at 4 knots (design)
	Submerged: 80 miles at 4 knots (service)
Armament	(i) 8 21 inch bow tubes (2 external)
	2 x 21 inch amidship tubes
	(16 torpedoes carried)
	1 x 4 inch gun
	(ii) 0.303 inch machine-guns
Complement	(peacetime) 5 Officers and 51 Ratings
	(wartime) 6 Officers and 56 Ratings
Notes	(i) As an alternative load, Group 1 submarines could carry 18 mines
	(ii) These were later replaced by, or supplemented by one 20mm Oerlikon cannon

Have You Read?

Updated: April 15, 2026

Branch Rules and Minutes

Updated: April 13, 2026

Branch Noticeboard

Updated: April 9, 2026

Branch Newsletter

Updated: April 5, 2026

Branch Events

Updated: March 27, 2026

Thorough (P 324)

Updated: March 17, 2026

Credits

Updated: March 7, 2026

Submarine Adoptions

Updated: March 7, 2026

Thorn (N 11)

Updated: February 26, 2026

Tactician (P 314)

Updated: February 24, 2026

Submarine Movies

Updated: February 21, 2026

Site Related Books

Updated: February 21, 2026

12 pages added or updated in the last 2 month

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Please help to maintain this site by reporting any Errors, Broken Links, Information or Site Issues on this page using this button

Report An Error

Buy Me A Coffee

If you find this site useful, please consider supporting my work with a small Donation.

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