Eric Tilden DSC "Anti-Submarine Specialist"

Lieutenant commander Eric Henry Tilden DSC

HMS Firedrake

Died 17 December 1942  Age 37

Commemorated at  Chatham Naval Memorial 51, 1

Husband of Susan Tilden, of Cookham, Berkshire.

Son of Harry and Ada Tilden.  Ada was born in Totteridge to the Osborne family at Totteridge Farm and Valentines Farm.

Commander Eric Henry "Tom" Tilden DSC, a Royal Navy anti-submarine warfare specialist whose promising career ended tragically during World War II, exemplified dedication to duty throughout his 23 years of naval service. His expertise in anti-submarine warfare and leadership at a critical juncture in naval history contributed significantly to Britain's defence efforts during the early years of World War II.

Eric Henry Tilden was born on May 8, 1905, in Epsom, Surrey, to Henry (Harry) and Ada Tilden.  His father worked as a bank clerk and eventually rose to become Secretary of the Bank of England from 1917 to December 31, 1926. 

Eric Tilden, known to many as "Tom," began his naval education at Rosehill Preparatory School in Surrey before proceeding to the Royal Naval College at Osborne and then to Dartmouth. He entered Osborne as a naval cadet in January 1919 and left Dartmouth in July 1922.

When World War II broke out, Lieutenant-Commander Tilden was serving aboard HMS Nelson. His service during operations on the Norwegian coast earned him the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC), which was announced in the London Gazette of June 25, 1940. This recognition came during the critical early phase of the war when British forces were engaged in operations in Norway and the evacuation from Dunkirk.

In June 1941, Tilden was promoted to Commander and took command of HMS Osprey, the anti-submarine school which had been relocated to Dunoon in Scotland due to the threat of bombing. Under his leadership, the school continued to train naval personnel in vital anti-submarine tactics during a period when U-boat warfare posed an existential threat to Britain's maritime supply lines.

Commander Tilden remained at HMS Osprey until September 1942, when he assumed command of the destroyer HMS Firedrake. This would prove to be his final posting. During his brief command, the ship was involved in rescue operations, including picking up 36 survivors from the Norwegian merchant vessel Olaf Fostenes, which had been torpedoed and sunk by the German U-boat U-380 on September 26, 1942.

The end came in the early hours of December 17, 1942, while HMS Firedrake was escorting convoy ON-153 in the North Atlantic. At approximately 01:15 hours, the ship was struck by a torpedo from U-211. The torpedo hit caused the vessel to break in two, with the bow section sinking immediately. The stern section remained afloat for several hours before finally succumbing to the heavy seas. Commander Tilden, five officers, and 163 ratings were lost in this action, while HMS Sunflower eventually rescued 27 survivors.