Admiral of the Fleet Sir Henry Leach, GCB, DL: Vignettes from a Remarkable Life

By Matthew Wills

Message from the Editor

The author reflects on Admiral Sir Henry Leach’s extensive career, highlighting his perseverance during the Second World War and the Falklands War, and his zeal for the tenacious defence of his particular corner, despite personal and national tragedies. A 10 minute read.

On 8 December 1941, west of the international date line, the young Henry Leach was a midshipman in HMS Mauritius, a light cruiser then undergoing repairs at the Singapore Naval Base. His father, Captain John Leach, was captain of HMS Prince of Wales, at that time the newest battleship in the Royal Navy, which had arrived in Singapore on 2 December in a flotilla that included the battlecruiser HMS Repulse commanded by Captain W G Tennant. The commander of this flotilla, soon to be designated Force Z, was (acting) Admiral Sir Tom Phillips. The decision to send these capital ships to Singapore re…

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