Commodore William Farquharson Burnett, (1815 – 7 February 1863) was a senior officer in the
Royal Navy.
Naval career
Burnett was appointed a
lieutenant in the
Royal Navy in 1838.
[William Loney RN]
/ref> Promoted to captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
in 1854, he commanded ''Tortoise'' at Ascension. 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.][Bastock, p. 25.] He drowned when HMS ''Orpheus'' was wrecked and sank off the west coast of Auckland, New Zealand, on 7 February 1863.[
]
References
*Bastock, John (1988), ''Ships on the Australia Station'', Child & Associates Publishing Pty Ltd; Frenchs Forest, Australia.
See also
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Burnett, William Farquharson
1837 births
1863 deaths
Administrators of Ascension Island
Companions of the Order of the Bath
Royal Navy officers
Royal Navy personnel of the Crimean War