21 JANUARY 1934
On this day Vice Admiral Sir William Clarkson, the Father of RAN Engineering, died in Sydney.
In May 1884 Clarkson, a Yorkshireman, joined the South Australian Naval Service as an engineer lieutenant, and came to the colony from UK as the engineer officer in HMCS Protector.
He transferred into the Commonwealth Naval Service when the colonial navies were subsumed and was promoted to engineer Captain in July 1910. On the establishment of the RAN in 1911, he was appointed Third Naval Member of the Australian Naval Board, a post he held until his retirement in 1923. He was responsible for the design construction and engineering of all new ships, for ships’ repairs, and for control of naval dockyards and bases.
In 1914 he also became controller of shipping for Australia as well as director of transports. He was promoted to engineer rear admiral in 1916. That year he was appointed chairman and controller of the Interstate Central Committee to operate coastal shipping requisitioned for Imperial service.
In 1919-22, under Clarkson’s guidance, the RAN developed a modernization programme, including construction of ships, purchase of submarines and a fleet air arm. He was promoted to engineer Vice Admiral in November 1922 and transferred to the retired list.
