Lieutenant Colonel Ewen Southby-Tailyour, OBE[1] (born 18 January 1942) is a British author, sailor, and retired Royal Marine.
He also served in the United States, India, Djibouti, the West Indies, the North Sea (oil-rig protection), Cyprus, Corsica, Malta, Bahrain, the Yemen, Kuwait, and the South Atlantic from 1977 to 1979.
[3] It was then that on his own initiative he sailed around and extensively charted the waters around the islands, and had a 100+ page notebook filled with data on harbours, inlets and landing spots.
[4] 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 Ocean, the Albion-class landing platform dock, the LCVP Mk 4 and the LCU Mk 10.
On retirement Southby-Tailyour was employed by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office for duties in the Republic of Serbian Krajina and, subsequently, in Croatia along the Dalmatian Coast.
He has published 17 books on amphibious-related subjects (including two novels) and is a commercial yacht skipper and amateur, high latitude explorer.
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.
Held annually the destinations are, in turn, Newport, Rhode Island, United States, Terceira in the Azores and Baltimore in the Republic of Ireland.