View source for Ralph Michael Mack

{{LCommRN}} '''Ralph Michael Mack''' (11 October, 1883 &ndash; 23 December, 1917) was an officer in the [[Royal Navy]] who died when his destroyer was mined late in the [[Great War]].

==Life & Career==
Mack gained three months' time on passing out of {{UK-1Britannia}} on 15 May 1900 and was immediately appointed to the {{UK-Theseus|f=t}} in the Mediterranean , where he spent two years.  Captain Tisdall noted that his new midshipman was "physically weak, but may develop."<ref>Mack Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/81.|D7604180}} f. 43.</ref>

With a Watchkeeping Certificate awarded him that August, Mack was promoted to the rank of {{LieutRN}} on 31 December, 1905.<ref>Mack Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/81.|D7604180}} f. 43.</ref>

Mack ended twenty months in {{UK-Albion}} on the [[China Station]] when she was reduced in April, 1906 and was appointed to join {{UK-Russell}} on the 21st.

By November her Captain [[Robert Swinburne Lowry|Lowry]] noted that Mack now possessed a "good physique" and was reliable.  Mack remained with her until 30 June, 1908 when he received a three month appointment in {{UK-Gibraltar}}.

Mack was appointed in command of the {{UK-Swale}} of the {{UK-DF|5}} on 20 May, 1912.  In July, she and the {{UK-C31|f=t}} grounded and Mack drew Their Lordships' "severe displeasure" for "not paying sufficient attention to warning as to Reefdyke in 'North Sea Reef'".  His troubles continued, as in December he was found to have committed an error in judgement when {{UK-Swale}} collided with the steam trawler ''Japonica''.<ref>Mack Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/81.|D7604180}} f. 43.</ref>

Mack was appointed in command of the {{UK-Stour|f=t}} on 7 February, 1913.{{NLApr14|p. 377}}

Mack was promoted to the rank of {{LCommRN}} on 31 December, 1913.{{NLNov17|p. 187}}

On 28 April, 1914, Mack was appointed in command of the newly completed {{UK-Lucifer|f=t}}.<ref>Mack Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/81.|D7604180}} f. 43.</ref>

At the end of 1916, Mack was placed in command of the {{UK-Phoebe|f=t}}.  One week later, however, he was admitted to hospital and sent to London Homeopathic Hospital.  Although his malady is not described, he was found fit on the 27th.  Perhaps zeppelin chemtrails combined with homeopathic mojo to produce this recovery.  On 22 June, Mack was gazetted for a mention in despatches noting that he had "served continuously throughout the war and distinguished himself on many occasions with the Harwich Force."<ref>Mack Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/81.|D7604180}} f. 43.</ref>

In November 1917, Mack was appointed in command of the {{UK-Tornado|f=t}}, but he was killed less than a month later when the destroyer was mined and lost on 23 December, 1917.{{KindellROH2|p. 438}}

==See Also==
{{refbegin}}
* [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_rv=simple&_q=ADM+Ralph+Michael+Mack Service Records]
{{WP|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Michael_Mack}}
{{refend}}

<div name=fredbot:appts>{{TabApptsBegin}}
{{TabNaval}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Cyril Callaghan|Cyril Callaghan]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Swale (1905)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Swale'']]'''<br>20 May, 1912<ref>Mack Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/81.|D7604180}} f. 43.</ref>{{NLAug12|p. 380}} &ndash; 7 Feb, 1913<ref>Mack Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/81.|D7604180}} f. 43.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Harry MacLeod Fraser|Harry MacL. Fraser]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Harry MacLeod Fraser|Harry MacL. Fraser]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Stour (1905)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Stour'']]'''<br>7 Feb, 1913<ref>Mack Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/81.|D7604180}} f. 43.</ref>{{NLApr14|p. 377}} &ndash; 18 Apr, 1914<ref>Mack Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/81.|D7604180}} f. 43.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Basil Wilberforce Longmore Owen|Basil W. L. Owen]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''New Command'''|'''[[H.M.S. Lucifer (1913)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Lucifer'']]'''<br>18 Apr, 1914<ref>Mack Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/81.|D7604180}} f. 43.</ref> &ndash; 12 Dec, 1916<ref>Mack Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/81.|D7604180}} f. 43.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Maxwell Napier Williamson-Napier|Maxwell N. Williamson-Napier]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''New Command'''|'''[[H.M.S. Phoebe (1916)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Phoebe'']]'''<br>12 Dec, 1916<ref>Mack Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/81.|D7604180}} f. 43.</ref> &ndash; Jul, 1917<ref>Mack Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/81.|D7604180}} f. 43.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[George Hector Creswell|George H. Creswell]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[Charles Hugo Knox-Little|Charles H. Knox-Little]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Sturgeon (1917)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Sturgeon'']]'''<br>11 Jul, 1917<ref>Mack Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/81.|D7604180}} f. 43.</ref>{{NLNov17|p. 398''a''}} &ndash; 30 Nov, 1917<ref>Mack Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/81.|D7604180}} f. 43.</ref>|Succeeded by<br>'''[[Henry Maurice Coombs|Henry M. Coombs]]'''}}
{{TabApptsRow|Preceded by<br>'''[[William Edward Blackwood Magee|William E. B. Magee]]'''|'''[[H.M.S. Tornado (1917)|Captain of H.M.S. ''Tornado'']]'''<br>30 Nov, 1917<ref>Mack Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/81.|D7604180}} f. 43.</ref> &ndash; 23 Dec, 1917<ref>Mack Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/49/81.|D7604180}} f. 43.</ref>{{KindellROH2|p. 438}}|Succeeded by<br>'''Vessel Lost'''}}
{{TabEnd}}
</div name=fredbot:appts>

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mack, Ralph}}

{{CatPerson|UK|1883|1917}}
{{CatLComm|UK}}
{{CatKilledOnActiveService|UK}}
{{CatBritannia|January, 1899}}
{{CatRN}}