Austin Charles Ackland

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

Post-War

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

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.

World War II

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

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

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.

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

See Also

• Service Records
• Wikipedia

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