Geoffrey Mackworth

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Vice-Admiral (retired) Geoffrey Mackworth, C.M.G., D.S.O. (20 June, 1879 – 4 March, 1952) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Born the son of a Colonel, Sir Arthur Mackworth, Baronet.[1]

In late July, 1900, he was invalided from Rupert with diphtheria and sent back to England for Plymouth Hospital in S.S. Oceana. He was not found fit before October, however. Appointed to Sparrow, which was operating out of Australia, in November, Mackworth was re-appointed to the ship when he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 30 June, 1901. He remained in her until the end of March, 1904.[2]

Mackworth was thanked for his efforts to improve the methods of sighting and firing guns in 1905, but Their Lordships declined to adopt his ideas.

Mackworth was appointed as Lieutenant & Commander of the destroyer Arab on 7 November, 1905.[3]

As a Commander, Mackworth was appointed in command of the destroyer Ferret on 7 October, 1911, operating in the First Destroyer Flotilla out of Chatham.[4] His appointment would prove extended enough to carry him into the War, but he did not escape incident before then, when he damaged S.S. Snyg and then, in December 1912, a Court of Enquiry found him at fault in the loss of the ship's copy of the Flotilla Signal Book. In August, 1913, he damaged the oiling hoses of S.S. Beacon Light, presumably while refueling his destroyer.[5]

Mackworth was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1913. In July 1914, he lost a chain shackle overboard from Ferret, and was told that he should have had an officer on the forecastle while the cables were being worked.[6]

Great War

Mackworth commanded Ferret at the Battle of Heligoland Bight on 28 August, 1914 and he was mentioned in despatches, gazetted 23 October, 1914. Mackworth left his ship, apparently in March, 1916 when he was appointed in command of the new "M" Class destroyer Nepean, which became part of the newly-formed Thirteenth Destroyer Flotilla. Nepean remained in harbour and missed participating with the Thirteenth in the Battle of Jutland.

Mackworth remained with the 13th D.F. when he was appointed in command of flotilla leader Gabriel on 8 July, 1917. He received the D.S.O. for his work in destroyers in the period ending December 31, 1917, gazetted 8 March, 1918.

On 12 March, Mackworth was found to blame for not following orders when ordinary seaman Walter Jones of Gabriel drowned in an incident involving a whaler.[7][8]

In June, 1918, Mackworth moved over to command the "V" Class flotilla leader Valkyrie, as she recommissioned to work with the Thirteenth Destroyer Flotilla and screen the Battle Cruiser Force.

Post-War

Still in command of Valkyrie, Mackworth was promoted to the rank of Captain on 31 December, 1918. He was superseded in her on 22 January and was idle for some time before being placed in command of the light cruiser Caledon on 22 March, 1919. When operating in the Baltic on anti-Bolshevik work in mid-May, Curacoa struck a mine. Mackworth, whom apparently had transferred to the ship with Rear-Admiral Cowan, was found by a Court of Enquiry held on 18 August, 1919 to have been at fault for failing to heed a report that a paravane had been sighted. He retained, however, the trust of his Rear Admiral, who retained his services as Flag Captain, moving next to Delhi in mid 1919 and receiving a C.M.G. for "valuable services as Flag Capt on Staff of S.N.O. Baltic and in command of H.M. ships Curacoa & Delhi", gazetted 8 March, 1920. Mackworth finally left Delhi to attend the Senior Officers' Course in Portsmouth at the end of 1920.[9]

Mackworth was appointed in command of the battlecruiser Hood on 31 March, 1921 where he again was Flag Captain to Cowan, and also his Chief Staff Officer. Mackworth was rebuked for committing some form of impertinence in a communication of 21 December, 1921 when the Admiralty frostily reminded him that, "T.L. reserve the right to make any changes they desire in personnel without consulting commanding officers." Mackworth was superseded in command of Hood at an unspecified time, but it was likely mid-May, 1923, when Captain im Thurn was appointed in command of the flagship.[10]

Mackworth proposed some manner of a "towing vessel" in 1926. In typical fashion, the Admiralty failed to adopt his ideas, but they thanked him warmly for the suggestion.[11]

Mackworth was placed on the Retired List on 4 April, 1930 and was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 30 April, 1930.[12]

Mackworth was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral on 19 July, 1935.[13]

World War II

In September 1939, Mackworth was made a Commodore, Second Class and commenced work with the London Convoy Pool in December. In July of 1940, he moved to the Liverpool Convoy Pool. He was reverted to the Retired List on 15 August, 1942.[14]

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Claude A. Rombulow-Pearse 		Captain of H.M.S. Arab
7 Nov, 1905[15][16] – 9 Jun, 1909[17] 		Succeeded by
Ernest L. Cardale
Preceded by
New Command 		Captain of H.M. T.B. 34
13 Aug, 1909[18][19] – 10 Sep, 1910[20] 		Succeeded by
George P. Green
Preceded by
New Command 		Captain of H.M.S. Ferret
7 Oct, 1911[21][22] – Mar, 1916[23] 		Succeeded by
Alexander S. Douglas
Preceded by
Alexander S. Douglas 		Captain of H.M.S. Nepean
Mar, 1916[24] – 8 Jul, 1917[25] 		Succeeded by
Charles R. Peploe
Preceded by
Apsley D. M. Cherry 		Captain of H.M.S. Gabriel
8 Jul, 1917[26][27] – Jun, 1918[28] 		Succeeded by
Hugh D. Colville
Preceded by
Aubrey T. Tillard 		Captain of H.M.S. Valkyrie
23 Jun, 1918[29][30] – 22 Jan, 1919[31] 		Succeeded by
Edmond J. G. Mackinnon
Preceded by
Henry S. M. Harrison-Wallace 		Captain of H.M.S. Caledon
22 Mar, 1919[32] – May, 1919[33] 		Succeeded by
Arthur A. M. Duff
Preceded by
New Command 		Captain of H.M.S. Delhi
30 May, 1919[34][35] – 5 Jul, 1920[36] 		Succeeded by
Ambrose M. Peck
Preceded by
Wilfred Tomkinson 		Captain of H.M.S. Hood
31 Mar, 1921[37][38] 		Succeeded by
John K. im Thurn
Preceded by
Horace C. Watson 		Captain of Devonport Dockyard
31 Mar, 1924[39] – 31 Mar, 1926[40] 		Succeeded by
George W. Taylor
Preceded by
Horace C. Watson
as King's Harbour Master, Devonport 		Superintendent and King's Harbour Master, Devonport
31 Mar, 1924[41] – 31 Mar, 1926[42] 		Succeeded by
Richard M. King
Preceded by
Hugh S. Shipway 		Captain in Charge, Singapore
26 Aug, 1927[43] – 5 Nov, 1929 		Succeeded by
Evelyn C. O. Thomson

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Mackworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/53. f. 53.
  2. ↑ Mackworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/53. f. 53.
  3. ↑ The Monthly Navy List. (December, 1905). p. 278.
  4. ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1914). p. 314.
  5. ↑ Mackworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/53. f. 53.
  6. ↑ Mackworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/53. f. 53.
  7. ↑ Mackworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/53. f. 53.
  8. ↑ Kindell. Royal Navy Roll of Honour Part 2. p. 470.
  9. ↑ Mackworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/53. f. 53.
  10. ↑ Mackworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/53. f. 53.
  11. ↑ Mackworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/53. f. 53.
  12. ↑ Mackworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/53. f. 53.
  13. ↑ Mackworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/53. f. 53.
  14. ↑ Mackworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/53. f. 53.
  15. ↑ Mackworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/53. f. 53.
  16. ↑ The Navy List. (October, 1908). p. 278.
  17. ↑ Mackworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/53. f. 53.
  18. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1910). p. 399.
  19. ↑ Mackworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/53. f. 53.
  20. ↑ Mackworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/53. f. 53.
  21. ↑ Mackworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/53. f. 53.
  22. ↑ The Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 394d.
  23. ↑ Mackworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/53. f. 53. Inferring the date from "1916" and Mackworth's next appointment.
  24. ↑ The Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 396ee.
  25. ↑ Mackworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/53. f. 53.
  26. ↑ Mackworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/53. f. 53.
  27. ↑ The Navy List. (November, 1917). p. 393x.
  28. ↑ Mackworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/53. f. 53.
  29. ↑ Mackworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/53. f. 53.
  30. ↑ The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 923a.
  31. ↑ Mackworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/53. f. 53.
  32. ↑ Mackworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/53. f. 53.
  33. ↑ Mackworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/53. f. 53.
  34. ↑ Mackworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/53. f. 53.
  35. ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1919). p. 775.
  36. ↑ Mackworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/53. f. 53.
  37. ↑ Mackworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/53. f. 53.
  38. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1923). p.768.
  39. ↑ Mackworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/53. f. 53.
  40. ↑ Mackworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/53. f. 53.
  41. ↑ Mackworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/53. f. 53.
  42. ↑ Mackworth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/53. f. 53.
  43. ↑ The Navy List. (February, 1929). p. 248.

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