102 Still Going Strong

Michael joined the Royal Navy as a Volunteer Reserve officer in April 1943 and was a volunteer for submarines. His first boat, as Fourth Hand, was the old L26 and then in 1944 he joined the new HMS Tantalus as Third Hand with Hugh Mackenzie as the CO. After workup, the Tantalus went out to the Far East where she conducted three patrols around the Malacca Straits based on Trincomalee in Ceylon. The Tantalus then moved to Fremantle under USN Opcon from where she conducted two patrols of 52 and 55 days duration, the latter being the longest Second World War, RN submarine patrol. Heading home in 1945, and one day out from Port Said, they heard about VE Day. Mackenzie dived to 60 Feet and held a service of thanks.

Following his visit to the Submarine Museum last November, Michael Tibbs OBE, who, at 102, is probably our senior, (sprite) submariner, recently attended a presentation by David Parry on the history of Perisher at the Haslemere U3A . Another eminent submariner at the presentation was Norman Hodgson, CO of the Courageous and Teacher 1978-1979. The photo shows the three together after the talk.

Demobbed in 1946 Michael went to Oxford University where he studied Geography and then to Sudan as District Commissioner for 6 years before coming back to the UK where he was the Secretary of the Royal College of Physicians for 18 years. (He was supposed to have become a naval dentist).

Michael’s autobiography ‘Hello Lad,  Come to join the Navy?’ is on the website under ‘Books and Papers’ – it is a recommended read.