William Edward Blackwood Magee

From The Dreadnought Project
Jump to: navigation, search

Captain William Edward Blackwood Magee, C.B.E., D.S.O. (9 July, 1886 – 3 April, 1981) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Personal

He was born in Simla, India, the son of Colonel Augustus Helier Magee, and his wife, Minna Douglas,[1] and died, aged 94, in Fordingbridge in Hampshire on 3 April 1981.[2]

He was married in St Simon's Church, Southsea, on 14 August, 1913, to Alice Mainwaring Cavanagh-Mainwaring, daughter of Wentworth Cavanagh-Mainwaring.[3]

Pre-War

Magee was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 1 October, 1908. In November, he committed a breach of discipline by not possessing Ball Dress.[4]

Magee was appointed Lieutenant & Commander of the first-class torpedo boat T.B. 025 on 5 November, 1909. Later that month, a chain cable parted and he was told to be more careful in future.[5]

Great War

Magee was appointed Lieutenant in Command of the first-class torpedo boat T.B. 109 on 18 March, 1914.[6]

Magee was appointed captain of the Laforey Class destroyer Leonidas on 8 December, 1915. Promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 1 October, 1916, on 10 November, 1916 Magee handled Leonidas with great skill and took the mined Legion under tow.[7]

He was mentioned in despatches for his work with the Harwich Force and arduous escort work, gazetted 22 June, 1917.[8]

On 20 November, 1917, Magee was appointed in command of the destroyer Thisbe.[9]

On 16 March, 1918 Magee was gazetted for receiving the Italian Bronze Medal for his work in Thisbe and in submarine hunting with the Harwich Force.[10]

Interbellum

Magee was appointed in command of the destroyer Watchman in April, 1919.[11]

In 1920 he was awarded the D.S.O. for his service in Watchman in the Baltic, gazetted 8 March and invested on 10 November, 1920.[12]

Magee was admitted to Plymouth Naval Hospital on 25 May 1921 with acute dermatitis. He was declared fit in 11 or 15 June and was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1921. At the end of 1921, after completing a Commander's Technical Course, he was granted permission to proceed to France.[13]

Magee was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1929. Shortly after the end of an appointment in command of the light cruiser Carlisle and as Flag Captain in August 1931, Magee was told that he would not be offered further employment and would be retired for non-service in November 1933 unless he were to retire before that date. Magee chose to retire at his own request on 9 July, 1933.[14]

World War II

On 23 April 1941 Magee was appointed to the Liverpool Convoy Pool, to serve in the rank of Commodore, Second Class R.N.R.. On 18 December, 1944 he was sent to provide the same services from Bombay. On 19 May 1945 he was appointed for passage home and for disposal.[15]

Magee was mentioned in despatches for providing distinguished service as Commodore of Convoy, gazetted 27 June, 1944. Furthermore he was commended by Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches in July of 1945 for good service and devotion to duty and awarded a C.B.E. for distinguished service in the War in Europe.[16]

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Charles A. Poignand
Captain of H.M. T.B. 025
5 Nov, 1909[17][18] – 19 Mar, 1912[19]
Succeeded by
David R. Roberts
Preceded by
Philip H. Irwin
Captain of H.M. T.B. 109
18 Mar, 1914[20][21] – 28 Jun, 1915[22]
Succeeded by
Conyngham C. Dennison
Preceded by
Gerald C. Harrison
Captain of H.M.S. Cossack
28 Jun, 1915[23] – 8 Dec, 1915[24]
Succeeded by
Percy J. Helyar
Preceded by
Reginald W. Grubb
Captain of H.M.S. Leonidas
8 Dec, 1915[25][26] – 7 May, 1917[27]
Succeeded by
Humphrey E. Archer
Preceded by
Hugh R. Troup
Captain of H.M.S. Tornado
3 Nov, 1917[28] – 23 Nov, 1919[29]
Succeeded by
Ralph M. Mack
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of H.M.S. Thisbe
23 Nov, 1917[30] – 20 Mar, 1919[31]
Succeeded by
L. T. Creery Hill
Preceded by
Ambrose T. N. Abbay
Captain of H.M.S. Walker
20 Mar, 1919[32][33] – Apr, 1919[34]
Succeeded by
The Hon. George Fraser
Preceded by
John Fawcett
Captain of H.M.S. Watchman
Apr, 1919[35][36] – 23 Jul, 1921[37]
Succeeded by
Kenneth B. Millar
Preceded by
Reginald V. Holt
Captain of H.M.S. Rowena
1 Feb, 1922[38]
Succeeded by
Edward O. Broadley
Preceded by
Walter F. Smithwick
Captain of H.M.S. Rigorous
1 Feb, 1922[39][40] – 20 Dec, 1923[41]
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
John N. Pelly
Captain of H.M.S. Rosalind
10 Jul, 1924[42][43] – 21 Aug, 1924[44]
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Frederic A. H. Russel
Captain of H.M.S. Warwick
1 Sep, 1925[45][46] – 20 Oct, 1927[47]
Succeeded by
Algernon U. Willis
Preceded by
Edye K. Boddam-Whetham
Captain of H.M.S. Witherington
1 Dec, 1927[48] – 24 Aug, 1928[49]
Succeeded by
Geoffrey S. Holden
Preceded by
Henry H. Bousfield
Captain of H.M.S. Valentine
24 Aug, 1928[50] – May, 1929[51]
Succeeded by
Francis R. Barry
Preceded by
John H. Young
Captain of H.M.S. Carlisle
6 Mar, 1930[52][53] – Aug, 1931[54]
Succeeded by
Francis R. Barry

Footnotes

  1. JJ Howard, FA Crisp, Visitation of Ireland (vol. 6) (1918), p. 127; Wicklow News-Letter and County Advertiser (Saturday, 16 August 1913), p. 9.
  2. The Times (Tuesday, 7 April 1981), p. 24.
  3. The Register (Adelaide) (25 September 1913), p. 5.
  4. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  5. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  6. The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 401a.
  7. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  8. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  9. The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 919.
  10. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  11. The Navy List. (January, 1921). p. 898.
  12. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  13. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  14. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  15. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  16. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  17. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  18. The Navy List. (April, 1910). p. 399.
  19. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  20. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  21. The Navy List. (April, 1915). p. 401a.
  22. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  23. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  24. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  25. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  26. The Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 395k.
  27. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  28. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  29. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  30. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  31. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  32. "Naval Appointments." The Times (London, England), Monday, Mar 24, 1919; pg. 21; Issue 42056.
  33. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  34. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  35. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  36. The Navy List. (January, 1921). p. 898.
  37. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  38. "Naval and Military." The Times (London, England), Wednesday, Feb 01, 1922; pg. 6; Issue 42944.
  39. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  40. The Navy List. (January, 1923). p. 803.
  41. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  42. "Naval Appointments." The Times (London, England), Friday, Jun 20, 1924; pg. 5; Issue 43683.
  43. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  44. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  45. The Navy List. (July, 1927). p. 287.
  46. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  47. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  48. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  49. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  50. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  51. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  52. The Navy List. (July, 1931). p. 222.
  53. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.
  54. Magee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/251. f. 521.