James ‘Jaimie’ Richard Talbot 1909-1945

 

Born in 1909 in Collinstown, Co Westmeath, near Lough Lene. He joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in 1936 which was colloquially called the “Wavy Navy”, after the 3/8th-inch Wavy Sleeve ‘Rings’ that Officers wore to differentiate them from their RN & RNR counterparts. James was soon Flying Fairey Swordfish & other Aircraft Round the Hal Far Airport in Malta.

Jamie Talbot then moved from the Fleet Air Arm to Join Handley Page in 1937 as a test pilot, and tested the Harrow, Hampden & Halifax Bombers & became their Chief Test Pilot in 1941.

On 3rd December 1945, the prototype Airliner Hermes-1 Reg G-AGSS c/n HP-68/1 tragically crashed soon after take-off from Radlett. Flt Lt James R ‘Jamie’ Talbot (Aged 36-yrs), Handley Page Chief Test Pilot, & Edgar Alexander ‘Ginger’ Wright, as Chief Test Observer were both Killed.