William Bowen Mackenzie

Captain William Bowen Mackenzie, Royal Navy, Retired (4 May, 1880 – 15 February, 1930) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

This William B. Mackenzie (denoted as "a" in his Service Record) has been confused at times with William Beveridge Mackenzie (born 1885, and whose Service Record denotes him as "b"), owing to their having the same middle initial and being contemporaries.

Life & Career

Mackenzie was born at 21 Sunderland Terrace in London.

Mackenzie was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 1 October, 1902.

Mackenzie was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 1 October, 1910.

Mackenzie was appointed in command of the destroyer Bulldog on 21 November, 1911. An inspection in July of 1912 revealed that the ship's wine bill was excessive and that the men were "untidily dressed & slow."

Great War

Mackenzie was mentioned in despatches for services in connection to the evacuation of Gallipoli, gazetted on on 14 March, 1916. When Bulldog struck a mine on 16 April, and a Court of Enquiry faulted Mackenzie for not having fixed his last position the day before, but credited him for the coolness with which he dealt with the catastrophe. The Vice-Admiral personally suggested that no disciplinary action result, owing to his high esteem for Mackenzie.

Mackenzie was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1916.

On 8 May 1917, he was sent to Haulbowline Hospital for three weeks, suffering from gout.

Some time in 1918, it appears that Mackenzie was cautioned to be more careful after the destroyer H.M.S. Rapid was grounded. His affiliation with that ship is not clear, however.

Mackenzie was appointed in command of the destroyer Acorn on 20 July, 1918. In late July, it was noted that he was to be appropriated to Fifth Destroyer Flotilla "as convenient."

Post-War

On 4 March 1919, Captain (D), Fifth Destroyer Flotilla Chetwode noted that Mackenzie, as captain of Acorn, had proven to be "a sound officer very experienced ought to go to a big ship as 2nd in cmd." However, the powers that be felt the man worked best in small ships and he was appointed to spend most of 1919 in command of three different coastal destroyers.

Following a half year as Naval Transport Officer, Devonport, Mackenzie finally was placed in larger ships, being in Blenheim and Diligence before being placed on the Retired List at his own request after being relieved on 31 October, 1922. He was promoted to the rank of Captain on the Retired List on 4 May, 1925.

Mackenzie died of a heart ailment and cirrhosis of the liver at "Sunbeam" 1930, in Plymouth.

See Also

• Service Records
• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Arthur G. H. Bond	Captain of H.M.S. Zephyr 27 Mar, 1909 – 10 Jan, 1910	Succeeded by Eric Q. Carter
Preceded by Hugh D. Colville	Captain of H.M.S. Brazen 10 Jan, 1910 – 15 Aug, 1910	Succeeded by William H. Darwall
Preceded by William H. Darwall	Captain of H.M.S. Falcon 15 Aug, 1910 – 21 Mar, 1911	Succeeded by Charles G. C. Sumner
Preceded by Robert H. B. Hammond-Chambers	Captain of H.M.S. Cherwell 24 Mar, 1911 – 21 Nov, 1911	Succeeded by Henry P. Boxer
Preceded by Kennedy G. Darracott-Brooke	Captain of H.M.S. Bulldog 21 Nov, 1911 – 24 Jul, 1916	Succeeded by Richard E. Hollings
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Sarpedon 7 Aug, 1916 – 11 Oct, 1917	Succeeded by Gerald C. Harrison
Preceded by Lionel G. Dawson	Captain of H.M.S. Salmon 15 Apr, 1918 – 24 Jun, 1918	Succeeded by George C. H. Lawson
Preceded by George S. Brown	Captain of H.M.S. Acorn 20 Jul, 1918 – 20 Mar, 1919	Succeeded by Ralph Neville
Preceded by Alexander M. Donovan	Captain of H.M. T.B. 3 20 Mar, 1919 – 8 Apr, 1919	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Arthur F. Crutchley	Captain of H.M. T.B. 2 8 Apr, 1919 – 6 Nov, 1919	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by George W. F. FitzGeorge	Captain of H.M. T.B. 14 8 Apr, 1919 – 6 Nov, 1919	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by George W. H. Martin	Divisional Naval Transport Officer, Devonport 6 Nov, 1919 – 10 May, 1920	Succeeded by ?