Henry James Maitland Makgill Crichton

Lieutenant-Commander Henry James Maitland Makgill Crichton (19 May, 1885 – 8 March, 1948) was an officer in the Royal Navy. His name may have originally been James Henry Maitland Makgill Crichton, or he later determined that was how he wanted to be addressed. Brits.

Another man named of only a few weeks difference in age, James Richard Maitland Makgill Crichton, also served. He was perhaps a cousin?

Life & Career

The son of a David Maitland Makgill Crichton.

Crichton was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 31 December, 1907.

When in command of T.B. 074 in 1910, he was found "greatly to blame" for a collision with the destroyer Charger. He had also suffered a collision with T.B. 073, for which he was found "grossly negligent."

He transferred to the Emergency List on 6 September 1912, but was reinstated on 9 June 1913. At the outbreak of war, Captain Nugent noted that Crichton was of "average ability" and though painstaking, was "rather nervous and excitable."

During the war, he served in Hibernia and then in Agincourt from July 1915 to April 1917, seeing action at the Battle of Jutland and being promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 31 December, 1915. He left Agincourt for Hindustan upon her commissioning on 15 May 1917.

In 1918, he spent three months in command of the monitor M.17. Late in his naval career, it was noted that he drank too much.

He was placed on the Retired List on 12 July 1918.

In October 1922, he was proceeding to New Zealand as a missionary.

See Also

• Service Records

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Frederic G. Schurr	Captain of H.M. T.B. 074 8 Aug, 1910 – 15 Dec, 1910	Succeeded by Richard S. Robinson
Preceded by John P. Farquharson	Captain of H.M.S. M.17 1 Mar, 1918 – 24 Jun, 1918	Succeeded by Charles E. Grubb