Timothy Turner was born in Hexham, Northumberland on 3 September 1896, son of Colonel Alfred Heyland Parrett Turner and Marie Anne Turner (née Hall).

He joined the Royal Navy as a Cadet on 15 May 1909. He was promoted to Midshipman on 15 January 1914 and appointed to the Battleship HMS AUDACIOUS. HMS AUDACIOUS sank on 27 October 1914 after the ship hit a mine. Timothy Turner survived this incident and was next appointed to the Battleship HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH on 1 January 1915. He was promoted to Sub Lieutenant on 19 September 1916.

He was appointed to HMS DOLPHIN for Submarine Training on 22 November 1916 and on 5 February 1917, appointed to HMS C10 as First Lieutenant. He was then appointed to HMS G11 as First Lieutenant on 10 March 1917. Promotion to Lieutenant followed on 15 March 1918 and on 25th April 1918 he was joined HMS K9 as First Lieutenant. He was appointed to HMS L12 on 18 October 1919.

On 14 May 1920 he was appointed to the Destroyer HMS TUMULT as First Lieutenant. Timothy Turner was next appointed to the Destroyer HMS TOMAHAWK in November 1922. He is understood to have been killed in an accident on board HMS TOMAHAWK at Gelibolu, Canakkale, Turkey on 27 November 1922. The nature of the accident is not known.