Francis Martin Leake
Vice-Admiral Francis Martin Leake, C.B., D.S.O., Royal Navy, Retired (16 March, 1869 – 21 January, 1928) was an officer in the Royal Navy.
Life & Career
Leake was promoted to the rank of Captain on 22 June, 1911.
On 1 January, 1913, Leake was appointed Captain of Amethyst and Captain (D) of the Eighth Destroyer Flotilla. On 1 October he transferred to Pathfinder, retaining command of the flotilla.[1]
Great War
On 5 September, 1914, Pathfinder was torpedoed by U.21 ten miles south-east of May Island. A magazine was detonated and the ship sank in four minutes with a large part of her crew. Leake was wounded but survived.[2] On 6 October he was appointed to Victory for service at Portland training up "M" class destroyers. He was appointed in command of the light cruiser Achilles on 19 February, 1915.[3]
He was appointed to Colleen on 20 June, 1917, as Chief of Staff to the Commander-in-Chief on the Coast of Ireland with the rank of Commodore, Second Class.[4] Sir Lewis Bayly, the Commander-in-Chief, later wrote of Leake as "a most exceptional man, for everyone loved the little Commodore."[5]
Post-War
Leake's appointment in Ireland ceased on 1 June, 1919, and on the same day he was appointed to King George V as Chief Staff Officer to Vice-Admiral Sir Henry F. Oliver, Vice-Admiral Commanding the Home Fleet, which in November became the Reserve Fleet.[6] Oliver had served with Leake in Stork and apparently asked for him as Chief Staff Officer.[7]
He was placed on the Retired List at his own request dated 19 November, 1921, in order to facilitate the promotion of younger officers.[8]
Footnotes
- ↑ The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 69.
- ↑ Home Waters—Part II. p. 44.
- ↑ ADM 196/43. f. 69.
- ↑ ADM 196/43. f. 69.
- ↑ Bayly. p. 211.
- ↑ ADM 196/43. f. 69.
- ↑ Oliver. Recollections. II. f. 211.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 32540. p. 9890. 6 December, 1921.
Bibliography
- Bayly, Admiral Sir Lewis (1939). Pull Together! The Memoirs of Admiral Sir Lewis Bayly, K.C.B., K.C.M.G., C.V.O. London: George G. Harrap & Co. Ltd. (on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk).
- Oliver, Admiral of the Fleet Sir Henry F., K.C.B., K.C.M.G. Recollections. Volume II. National Maritime Museum. OLV/12.
Service Records
- The National Archives. ADM 196/89.
- The National Archives. ADM 196/43.
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