Philip John Mack

Rear-Admiral Philip John Mack, D.S.O. (6 October, 1892 – 29 April, 1943) served in the Royal Navy. He saw considerable action in both World Wars, despite a frail state of health.

Life & Career

Born son to Captain P. P. Mack, formerly of the 12th Lancers.

Great War

Mack was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 15 September, 1914.

Mack was diagnosed with pulmonary disease at Malta Hospital on 10 November, 1915. On the 20th, it was described as tuberculosis and he was given a lengthy time to convalesce.

He was appointed in command of the yacht Lady Blanche on 16 July, 1916. He was superseded on 16 November, as being sick.

He was placed on the Retired List on 15 June, 1916 as physically unfit, and he continued to spend time through much of 1916 in Haslar Hospital. He finally travelled to London to seek treatment at his own expense in November. On 11 December, 1916, he was found fit and was permitted to serve on the condition that he "not live in a mess & that the Admiralty incurs no liability.""

After a brief stint ashore spent helping the Commodore at Lowestoft, on February, 1917, Mack was appointed in command of the decoy vessel Q 23. Mack engaged two enemy submarines from his Q ship on 15 March, 1917. He was thanked by the Admiralty and mentioned in despatches for his efforts, gazetted on 21 April. Q 23 was renamed Result on 1 May, 1917. Mack was superseded in her on 30 July, 1917 and placed in command of the former cargo ship that had been made into a Q ship, Tay and Tyne.

Post-War

Mack was done with Tay and Tyne in February, 1919. On the 19th, he was reinstated to the Active List following his mid-1916 medical retirement and on the 21st, he was appointed to the light cruiser Dragon.

Mack was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 15 September, 1922.

Mack was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1927.

Mack was promoted to the rank of Captain on 31 December, 1934.

World War II

On 20 March, 1939, Mack was appointed to the new "J" class destroyer Jervis, to take command upon her commissioning and to serve as Captain (D) of the Seventh Destroyer Flotilla. On 16 May, 1940, he was appointed from Jervis to command her sister, Janus, as Captain (D) of the Fourteenth Destroyer Flotilla. He presently gave up command of Janus and remained in the ship, additional, as Captain (D) to the Fourteenth. On 14 July, he was again in command of Jervis. He remained in command of that ship and as Captain (D), 14 D.F., until being superseded on 19 March, 1942.

Mack was appointed in command of the battleship King George V and as Flag Captain to the Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet vice Patterson on 6 May, 1942.

Mack was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 12 January, 1943 and on 24 February, 1943 was appointed for work with Force "V".

Mack died in an aircraft accident on 29 April, 1943.

See Also

• Service Records
• Wikipedia

Bibliography

Naval Appointments
Preceded by John B. Spurgin	Captain of H.M.S. Tuscan Feb, 1921 – Jul, 1921	Succeeded by Eric P. Vivian
Preceded by Francis E. Wright	Captain of H.M.S. Tarpon 15 Dec, 1921 – 3 Apr, 1923	Succeeded by Thomas A. Jolliffe
Preceded by Donal S. McGrath	Captain of H.M.S. Tuscan 10 Apr, 1923 – Jul, 1923	Succeeded by Donald C. Brock
Preceded by John E. Phayre	Captain of H.M.S. Tumult Jul, 1923 – 15 Oct, 1923	Succeeded by Ian H. Morten
Preceded by Maxwell A. C. Ritter	Captain of H.M.S. Wishart 15 Oct, 1923 – Feb, 1925	Succeeded by Stephen Barry
Preceded by Henry H. Bousfield	Captain of H.M.S. Wryneck 9 Apr, 1928 – 19 May, 1930	Succeeded by Edward C. Thornton