Austin Charles Ackland

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Commander Austin Charles Ackland (26 May, 1882 – 10 October, 1954) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Ackland was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 30 June, 1904.[1]

Ackland was blamed for a collision between T.B. 109 and the torpedo gunboat H.M.S. Seagull in November, 1907.[2]

Ackland was appointed in command of the destroyer Lightning on 25 January, 1909.[3]

Ackland was appointed as Lieutenant & Commander of the destroyer Arab on 8 February, 1910.[4]

In May, 1910, Ackland was permitted to take up an appointment in Nigeria under the Colonial Office. Accordingly, he left England on 27 July, 1910. Though he would return for four months leave in England on 25 October, 1911 he otherwise continued to serve in Nigeria until on 5 March, 1912, the Colonial Office reported that Ackland intended to relinquish his appointment in Northern Nigeria in order to return to Royal Navy service. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 30 June, 1912.[5]

Having recently been visiting hospitals in July and August for unspecified conditions, Ackland was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 1 October, 1913.[6]

On 20 July, 1914 Ackland was deemed fit for shore service, and on July, 1914 he was appointed to the Downs Boarding Flotilla. It is not clear whether he was in command, but he remained there, ashore, until being hospitalised at Chatham Hospital on 12 July, 1915.[7]

Retired, acting Commander Ackland was appointed in command of the destroyer Glowworm on 11 October, 1918.[8]

Post-War

Ackland was promoted to the rank of Commander on 11 November, 1918.[9]

In April 1919, Rear Admiral Brown opined that Ackland was "unsat. below av. uncertain officer suffering from nervous strain. did good work at times training Greek destroyers, but lacks organizing ability." Oddly, a flair for organizational tasks was mentioned in Ackland's March 1910 evaluation, and this word does not often appear in such places.[10]

World War II

On 31 August, 1939, Ackland was placed in charge of the Land's End radio station and helped oversee censorship.[11]

On 17 June, 1940, Ackland was appointed in command of the target yacht Atmah, vice Wilmot-Sitwell.[12]

On 22 September 1940, Ackland was appointed to assume command of the Catapult Armed Merchantman Springbank upon her commissioning with the acting rank of Captain while holding the appointment. On 9 December, he was appointed in command of H.M.S. Wildfire, vice George who had died. Finally, Ackland held a number of shore appointments from January, 1941 until he reverted to the Retired List on 13 November, 1941. His records indicate 1941 medical reports that he suffered from acute alcoholism and cirrhosis of the liver. He was told upon applying for employment in mid-1942 that he would not be further employed.[13]

Ackland died in 1954 of a variety of causes, amongst which was cancer.

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Frederick C. Corbyn
Captain of H.M. T.B. 109
12 Mar, 1907[14][15] – 25 Jan, 1909[16]
Succeeded by
Henry P. Wilson
Preceded by
James Bayley
Captain of H.M.S. Lightning
25 Jan, 1909[17][18] – Nov, 1909[19]
Succeeded by
Robert H. Ames
Preceded by
George B. Hartford
Captain of H.M.S. Vigilant
Nov, 1909[20][21] – 8 Feb, 1910[22]
Succeeded by
Robert F. Veasey
Preceded by
Ernest L. Cardale
Captain of H.M.S. Arab
8 Feb, 1910[23][24] – 1 Jun, 1910[25]
Succeeded by
Robert G. Hamond
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of H.M.S. Snapdragon
24 Jan, 1916[26][27] – 22 Mar, 1917[28]
Succeeded by
Myles A. Blomfield
Preceded by
Lord George F. Seymour
Captain of H.M.S. Mimosa
5 Apr, 1917[29] – 17 Oct, 1917[30]
Succeeded by
Reginald Gregory
Preceded by
John Hassard-Short
Captain of H.M.S. Cricket
2 Sep, 1918[31] – 11 Oct, 1918[32]
Succeeded by
Vincent C. Large
Preceded by
Winstanley R. C. Moorsom
Captain of H.M.S. Glowworm
11 Oct, 1918[33][34] – 3 Jun, 1919[35]
Succeeded by
Sebald W. B. Green

Footnotes

  1. The Navy List. (April, 1914). p. 666.
  2. Ackland Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/174. f. 379.
  3. "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Tuesday, 19 January, 1909. Issue 38860, col B, p. 7.
  4. The Navy List. (April, 1910). p. 278.
  5. Ackland Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/174. f. 379.
  6. Ackland Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/174. f. 379.
  7. Ackland Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/174. f. 379.
  8. The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 803.
  9. Ackland Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/174. f. 379.
  10. Ackland Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/174. f. 379.
  11. Ackland Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/174. f. 379.
  12. Ackland Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/174. f. 379.
  13. Ackland Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/174. f. 379.
  14. Ackland Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/174. f. 379.
  15. The Navy List. (October, 1908). p. 400.
  16. Ackland Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/174. f. 379.
  17. Ackland Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/174. f. 379.
  18. "Naval & Military Intelligence". The Times. Tuesday, 19 January, 1909. Issue 38860, col B, p. 7.
  19. Ackland Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/174. f. 379.
  20. "Naval & Military Intelligence." The Times (London, England), Tuesday, Oct 26, 1909; pg. 8; Issue 39100.
  21. Ackland Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/174. f. 379.
  22. Ackland Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/174. f. 379.
  23. Ackland Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/174. f. 379.
  24. The Navy List. (April, 1910). p. 278.
  25. Ackland Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/174. f. 379.
  26. Ackland Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/174. f. 379.
  27. The Navy List. (October, 1916). p. 398b.
  28. Ackland Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/174. f. 379.
  29. Ackland Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/174. f. 379.
  30. Ackland Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/174. f. 379.
  31. Ackland Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/174. f. 379.
  32. Ackland Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/174. f. 379.
  33. Ackland Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/174. f. 379.
  34. The Navy List. (June, 1919). p. 803.
  35. Ackland Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/174. f. 379.