Michael Willmott DSO, RN
| Born | 1909 | London, England | |
| Died | Sep 1942 | (33) | HMS Talisman (N 78) |
| Ranks
Decorations
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Warship Commands listed for Michael Willmott, RN
| Ship | Rank | Type | From | To |
| HMS H 50 (N 50) | Lt. | Submarine | 11 Nov 1940 | 1 Mar 1941 |
| HMS Talisman (N 78) | Lt. | Submarine | 5 Mar 1941 | 18 Sep 1942 |
Career information
We currently have no career / biographical information on this officer.
Events related to this officer
Submarine HMS Talisman (N 78)
6 Mar 1941
HMS Talisman (Lt. M. Willmott, RN) departs Holy Loch for Halifax, Canada. En-route she is ordered to several patrol positions to hunt the German battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau who are operating against Allied sipping in the North-Atlantic.
12 Mar 1941
At 1937 hours, in mid-Atlantic, HMS Talisman (Lt. M. Willmott, RN) sights two warships in position 54º02'N, 34º30'W. As the warships are thought to be the German battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. Lt. Willmott dived and started an attack but the warships were soon recognised as British. They were in fact HMS Rodney Capt. Sir F.H.G. Dalrymple-Hamilton, RN) and HMS King George V (Capt. W.R. Patterson, CVO, RN). Lt. Willmott made a practice attack. At 2022 hours Talisman surfaced and identified herself.
26 Mar 1941
HMS Talisman (Lt. M. Willmott, RN) arrives at Halifax, Canada. In the early moring hours she was to rendez-vouz of the Sambro light vessel with the Canadian armed yacht HMCS Otter (T/Lt. D.S. Mossman, RCNR). Talisman arrived at the rendez-vouz in thick fog, when the fog lifted HMCS Otter was seen to be on fire. Talisman closed and found her abandoned. 4 survivors out of 9 that were on a reft were rescued, the other 5 unfortunately drowned.
10 Apr 1941
HMS Talisman (Lt. M. Willmott, RN) departs Halifax for convoy escort duty in the North Atlantic. She is to escort convoy SC-28 for part of the journey to the U.K.
19 Apr 1941
At 1718 hours (time zone +3) HMS Talisman (Lt. M. Willmott, RN) parted company with convoy SC-28 in position 53º34'N, 38º28'W and set course back towards Halifax.
26 Apr 1941
HMS Talisman (Lt. M. Willmott, RN) arrives back at Halifax.
19 May 1941
HMS Talisman (Lt. M. Willmott, RN) departs Halifax for convoy escort duty in the North Atlantic. She is to escort convoy SC-32 for part of the journey to the U.K.
30 May 1941
At 2000 hours (time zone +1) HMS Talisman (Lt. M. Willmott, RN) parted company with convoy SC-32 in position 47º35'N, 32º58'W and set course back towards Halifax. On the way back she was ordered through several positions to search for the German heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen.
9 Jun 1941
HMS Talisman (Lt. M. Willmott, RN) arrives back at Halifax.
30 Jun 1941
HMS Talisman (Lt. M. Willmott, RN) departs Halifax for St.Johns.
2 Jul 1941
HMS Talisman (Lt. M. Willmott, RN) arrives at St.Johns.
4 Jul 1941
HMS Talisman (Lt. M. Willmott, RN) departs St.Johns for Gibraltar. Talisman is to join the 1st submarine flotilla at Alexandria.
17 Jul 1941
HMS Talisman (Lt. M. Willmott, RN) arrives at Gibraltar. At Gibraltar Talisman is docked.
29 Jul 1941
HMS Talisman (Lt. M. Willmott, RN) departs Gibraltar for Malta. Before departing A/S exercises were carried out with HMS Vimy (Lt.Cdr. H.G.D. de Chair, RN) and HMS Vidette (Lt.Cdr. E.N. Walmsley, RN).
5 Aug 1941
HMS Talisman (Lt. M. Willmott, RN) arrives at Malta.
8 Aug 1941
HMS Talisman (Lt. M. Willmott, RN) departs Malta for Alexandria. Before departing exercises were carried out with HMS Jade (Boatswain W.J.H. Fellows, RN).
14 Aug 1941
HMS Talisman (Lt.Cdr. M. Willmott, RN) attacks a submarine with torpedoes about 140 nautical miles north-west of Alexandria in position 32º41'N, 27º35'E. All torpedoes fired fortunately missed their target as the submarine attacked later turned out to be HMS Otus (Lt. R.M. Favell, RN).
(All times are zone -2) 1040 hours - In position 32º19'N, 27º51'E heard HE. Nothing in sight. Commenced attack on a submerged submarine.
After trailing the contact for a while three torpedoes were fired at 1253 hours. The course and speed of the submerged submarine were by now well known. No explosions occurred so the submarine must have been deep. Talisman continued to shadow the submarine until it surfaced.
1927 hours - The target surfaced.
1932 hours - Talisman surfaced and closed with gun crews at the ready.
2030 hours - Contact was lost.
2046 hours - The submarine was sighted again. While closing Talisman was sighted by the other submarine and challenged at a range of about 1000 yards by the Allied Private Signal. The reply was made and course was resumed towards Alexandria. The identity of the other submarine was not established until after arrival at Alexandria when it was learnt that it was HMS Otus.
Talisman was not aware that Otus was on passage from Alexandria to Malta. This was known so Otus was routed way to the North of the route of Talisman. An investigation showed that Talisman was way out of position.
15 Aug 1941
HMS Talisman (Lt.Cdr. M. Willmott, RN) arrives at Alexandria.
21 Aug 1941
HMS Talisman (Lt.Cdr. M. Willmott, RN) departs Alexandria for her 8th war patrol (1st in the Mediterranean). She is ordered to patrol in the Gulf of Sirte and off Benghazi.
23 Aug 1941
HMS Talisman (Lt.Cdr. M. Willmott, RN) attacks a merchant vessel with three torpedoes about 80 nautical miles North-North-East of Tobruk, Libya. No hits were obtained. Talisman had to go deep because one of the torpedoes had a gyro failure.
(All times are zone -3)
1358 hours - While proceeding at periscope depth in position 33º35'N, 24º23'E sighted a merchant vessel of about 2500 tons bearing 337 degrees, range 4.5 nautical miles. Enemy course was 157 degrees, speed 12 knots. Started attack. No escort was seen.
1425 hours - Fired three torpedoes from 1000 yards.
1427 hours - One of the torpedoes passed Talisman due to a gyro failure. Went deep with all despatch.
1429 hours - The torpedo went overhead.
1440 hours - Went to periscope depth. Saw the target zig-zagging on a North-Easterly course. Range was now 3000 yards.
26 Aug 1941
At 0530 hours (time zone -3) HMS Talisman (Lt.Cdr. M. Willmott, RN) a major defect is discovered on the Port engine. This engine was out of action for the remainder of the patrol unless in an emergency.
30 Aug 1941
HMS Talisman (Lt.Cdr. M. Willmott, RN) damages two motor sailing vessels with gunfire about 5 nautical miles north of Benghazi, Libya. (It is possible that one of these was sunk).
(All times are zone -3)
1129 hours - Sighted two motor sailing vessels approaching on a course of 040 degrees. Started attack. Position was 32º16'N, 20º06'E.
1154 hours - Surfaced to engage with the 4" gun and with the Lewis machine gun. Range was 1000 yards.
1203 hours - One of the sailing vessels was seen to be hit forward and aft. It was abandoned and low in the water. The other had increased the range and was proceeding inshore faster then Talisman could steam on one engine and motor trimmed down. She had been hit forward once. This sailing vessel opened fire with a light automatic machine gun. Talisman was hit but no casualties were sustained. Dived and retired seawards. 39 Rounds of 4" were fired in this action.
7 Sep 1941
HMS Talisman (Lt.Cdr. M. Willmott, RN) ends her 8th war patrol (1st in the Mediterranean) at Alexandria.
20 Sep 1941
HMS Talisman (Lt.Cdr. M. Willmott, RN) departs Alexandria for her 9th war patrol. She is ordered to patrol in the Aegean. Before proceeding on patrol exercises were performed together with HMS Havock (Lt. G.R.G. Watkins, DSC, RN).
1 Oct 1941
HMS Talisman (Lt.Cdr. M. Willmott, RN) attacks an Italian convoy with torpedoes West of the Zea Channel missing the Italian merchant Lauretta (938 GRT, built 1901). Talisman was heavily depth charged by the escorting Italian torpedo boat Libra.
3 Oct 1941
HMS Talisman (Lt.Cdr. M. Willmott, RN) destroyes the wreck of the German merchant Yalova (3751 GRT) that is grounded at Agios Giorgios Island.
4 Oct 1941
HMS Talisman (Lt.Cdr. M. Willmott, RN) torpedoes and sinks the Vichy-French passenger ship Theophile Gautier (8194 GRT) north-east of Kea Island, Greece in position 37º45'N, 24º35'E.
7 Oct 1941
HMS Talisman (Lt.Cdr. M. Willmott, RN) attacks the German merchant Salzburg (1742 GRT) with torpedoes west-north-west of Kasos Island, Greece in position 35º31'N, 26º25'E. All torpedoes fired missed their target.
12 Oct 1941
HMS Talisman (Lt.Cdr. M. Willmott, RN) ends her 9th war patrol (2nd in the Mediterranean) at Alexandria.
11 Dec 1941
HMS Talisman (Lt.Cdr. M. Willmott, RN) torpedoes and sinks the Italian merchant Calitea (4013 GRT) about 60 nautical miles west-south-west of Schiza island, Greece in position 36º23'N, 20º33'E.