William Farquharson Burnett
Encyclopedia
Commodore
William Farquharson Burnett, CB (c. 1837 – 7 February 1863) was a senior officer in the Royal Navy
.
in the Royal Navy
in 1838. Promoted to Captain
in 1854, he commanded Tortoise, he served as Governor of Ascension
from 1858 until 1861. He was then the Commander-in-Chief, Australia Station between 21 July 1862 until 7 February 1863. He drowned when HMS Orpheus was wrecked and sank off the west coast of Auckland
, New Zealand
on 7 February 1863.
Commodore (Royal Navy)
Commodore is a rank of the Royal Navy above Captain and below Rear Admiral. It has a NATO ranking code of OF-6. The rank is equivalent to Brigadier in the British Army and Royal Marines and to Air Commodore in the Royal Air Force.-Insignia:...
William Farquharson Burnett, CB (c. 1837 – 7 February 1863) was a senior officer in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
.
Naval career
Burnett was appointed a lieutenantLieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
in 1838. Promoted to Captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
in 1854, he commanded Tortoise, he served as Governor of Ascension
Ascension Island
Ascension Island is an isolated volcanic island in the equatorial waters of the South Atlantic Ocean, around from the coast of Africa and from the coast of South America, which is roughly midway between the horn of South America and Africa...
from 1858 until 1861. He was then the Commander-in-Chief, Australia Station between 21 July 1862 until 7 February 1863. He drowned when HMS Orpheus was wrecked and sank off the west coast of Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
on 7 February 1863.