Henry Leach

{{short description|Royal Navy Admiral of the Fleet (1923–2011)}} {{about|the British admiral|the British general|Henry Leach (British Army officer)|the American Scandinavian studies scholar|Henry Goddard Leach}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}} {{Infobox military person | honorific_prefix = Admiral of the Fleet | name = Sir Henry Leach | honorific_suffix = GCB DL | image = Hleach.jpg | image_size = 150px | alt = | caption = Admiral of the Fleet Sir Henry Leach in 1972 | birth_date = {{birth date|1923|11|18|df=y}} | death_date = {{death date and age|2011|4|26|1923|11|18|df=y}} | birth_place = Newton Abbot, Devon, England | death_place = | burial_place = | nickname = | allegiance = United Kingdom | branch = Royal Navy | service_years = 1937–1982 | rank = Admiral of the Fleet | service_number = | unit = | commands = First Sea Lord Commander-in-Chief Fleet Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff First Flotilla {{HMS|Albion|R07|6}} {{HMS|Galatea|F18|6}} {{HMS|Dunkirk|D09|6}} | battles = Second World War Korean War Malayan Emergency Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation Falklands War | awards = Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath | relations = John Leach (father) | other_work = }} Admiral of the Fleet '''Sir Henry Conyers Leach''', {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|GCB|DL}} (18 November 1923 – 26 April 2011) was a Royal Navy officer who, as First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff during the early 1980s, was instrumental in convincing the British prime minister Margaret Thatcher that retaking the Falkland Islands from Argentina was feasible. On account of the determination he showed in the matter, journalist and political commentator Andrew Marr described him as Thatcher's "knight in shining gold braid".<ref name="Telegraph obit.">{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/military-obituaries/naval-obituaries/8474861/Admiral-of-the-Fleet-Sir-Henry-Leach.html |title=Admiral of the Fleet Sir Henry Leach |newspaper=The Telegraph|location=London |date=26 April 2011 |access-date=27 August 2012}}</ref>

==Early life== Henry Leach was born the third son of John Leach, a naval officer, and Evelyn Burrell Leach (née Lee). He was educated at St Peter's Court, Broadstairs, and the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth.<ref name="Telegraph obit."/>

==Naval career== Leach joined the Royal Navy as a cadet in 1937. After the Second World War started in 1939, he served on the battleship {{HMS|Rodney|29|6}} in the South Atlantic and the cruiser {{HMS|Edinburgh|16|6}} in the Indian Ocean.<ref name="Telegraph obit."/> Promoted to midshipman on 1 January 1941,<ref name=heath151>Heathcote, p. 151</ref> he was assigned to {{HMS|Prince of Wales|53|6}}. Before he could take up the post, however, his father was given command, so he was reassigned to {{HMS|Mauritius|80|6}}. ''Mauritius'' soon went into refit in Singapore, during which time Leach was assigned to the war room there as a plotting officer.<ref name="Telegraph obit."/>

While in Singapore, ''Prince of Wales'' was sunk by the Japanese off Singapore, and Leach's father died in this action.<ref>Mahoney, p. 253</ref> His obituary in ''The Daily Telegraph'' noted that "[s]urvivors of the action remembered a forlorn midshipman searching for his father, who was among those lost. Only two nights earlier, Leach and his father had enjoyed a gin sling and a swim."<ref name="Telegraph obit."/><ref>{{cite web |title=The Battleships: Terror from above, Documentary |website=Amazon UK |year=2001 |url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Battleships-Terror-Above-1939-Present/dp/B00005AA3F}}</ref> His next post was on the destroyer {{HMS|Sardonyx|1919|6}} before being promoted to sub-lieutenant on 1 October 1942 and posted to {{HMS|Duke of York|17|6}}, the flagship of the Home Fleet, in January 1943.<ref name="Telegraph obit."/>

thumb|left|The destroyer {{HMS|Javelin|F61|6}} in which Leach served as the navigating officer during the Second World War Leach was promoted to lieutenant in October 1943.<ref name=heath151/> Leach was in command of the "A" turret and he was involved in the Battle of the North Cape in December 1943.<ref name=heath151/> In autumn 1944, he was posted to {{HMS|Javelin|F61|6}} as the navigating officer. During his posting on ''Javelin'', a mutiny broke out whilst Leach was the duty officer: he "conducted himself well under difficult circumstances" and, after the mutiny was put down, the captain and first lieutenant were re-appointed. Leach was given the position as first lieutenant and the ship was transformed within a few weeks.<ref name="Telegraph obit."/>

In April 1946, Leach transferred to the destroyer {{HMS|Chequers||6}}. He was at this post for only a short time as he decided to gain his qualifications as a gunnery specialist at the shore establishment {{HMS|Excellent|shore establishment|6}}.<ref name="Telegraph obit."/> After qualifying, he remained at the school as a gunnery instructor until he was posted as gunnery officer to the Second Minesweeping Flotilla in the Aegean Sea.<ref name=heath151/> He was promoted to lieutenant commander on 1 February 1952 and attended the Royal Naval Staff College, before becoming a staff officer for the Naval Brigade in London for the coronation of the Queen.<ref name=heath151/> In July 1953, he was posted as gunnery officer of the 5th Cruiser Squadron in {{HMS|Newcastle|C76|6}} and saw service at the end of the Korean War. He also saw service in the Malayan Emergency of 1955 when HMS ''Newcastle'' supported the Army and Royal Marines.<ref name=heath151/> He was promoted to commander on 30 June 1955 and served as application commander responsible for bringing the navy's first surface-to-air missile, the Sea Slug, into service.<ref name="Telegraph obit."/> He was then posted to the Admiralty in 1957 and was given his first command in charge of the destroyer {{HMS|Dunkirk|D09|6}} in the Mediterranean in 1959.<ref name=heath152>Heathcote, p. 152.</ref>

Leach was posted to the Training Directorate in the Admiralty in July 1961 and then attended the Joint Service Defence College before receiving promotion to captain on 31 December 1961.<ref name=heath152/> He became Chief Staff Officer (Plans and Operations) for the Far East Fleet in July 1962 and organised naval support for British ground forces deployed during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation.<ref name=heath152/> He was appointed captain of the 27th Escort Squadron, which he commanded from the ''Leander''-class frigate {{HMS|Galatea|F18|6}}, in November 1965.<ref name=heath152/> An appointment at the Ministry of Defence followed when he became Director of Naval Plans there in February 1968 before he was given another command, that of the aircraft carrier {{HMS|Albion|R07|6}}, in March 1970.<ref name=heath152/> Leach was a strong supporter of the abolition of the daily issue of rum at that time.<ref name=heath152/> He was appointed Naval Aide-de-Camp to the Queen on 7 July 1970.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=45168 |supp=y |page=8853 |date=7 August 1970 }}</ref>

===Flag rank===  Leach became Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Policy) at the Ministry of Defence in April 1971, receiving promotion to rear admiral on 7 July 1971,<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=45410 |supp=y |page=6943 |date=28 June 1971 }}</ref> and then became Flag Officer First Flotilla in May 1974, with promotion to vice admiral on 6 July 1974.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=46363 |supp=y |page=8525 |date=8 October 1974 }}</ref> He commanded the flotilla from {{HMS|Blake|C99|6}}.<ref>{{cite book|first=Henry|last=Leach|title=Endure No Makeshifts: Some Naval Recollections|publisher=Pen and Sword|year=1993|isbn=978-0850523706}}</ref> He became Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff in January 1976,<ref name=heath152/> and having been appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 1977 New Year Honours,<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=47102 |supp=y |page=2 |date=30 December 1976 }}</ref> he was promoted to full admiral on 30 March 1977<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=47184 |supp=y |page=4281 |date=28 March 1977 }}</ref> on appointment as Commander-in-Chief Fleet and NATO Commander-in-Chief, Channel and Commander-in-Chief Eastern Atlantic.<ref name=heath152/> He was advanced to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath in the 1978 Birthday Honours.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=47549 |supp=y |page=6230 |date=2 June 1978 }}</ref>

Leach was appointed First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff on 6 July 1979<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=47931 |supp=y |page=10651 |date=20 August 1979 }}</ref> and in that role fiercely resisted naval cuts proposed by Defence Secretary John Nott.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/dec/30/thatcher-warned-defence-cuts-falklands |title=Thatcher warned of defence cuts dangers before Falklands war |newspaper=The Guardian |date=30 December 2011 |access-date=27 August 2012}}</ref>

===Falklands War=== {{see also|Falklands War}}

On 31 March 1982, shortly before the Argentine invasion of the Falklands, Leach brushed aside serious doubts from the Secretary of State for Defence Sir John Nott and addressed the Prime Minister on the appropriate response to any possible invasion.<ref>Hastings, pp. 85–86.</ref> The Chief of the Defence Staff at the time was on his way back from a foreign visit, and in addressing the Prime Minister, Leach effectively bypassed the Acting Chief of the Defence Staff.<ref name="Telegraph obit."/> When he was asked if retaking the islands was possible, he replied "Yes we can recover the islands." He then added "and we must!" Thatcher replied "Why?" Leach exclaimed "''Because if we do not, or if we pussyfoot in our actions and do not achieve complete success, in another few months we shall be living in a different country whose word counts for little.''"<ref name="Telegraph obit."/>

Leach then explained how the task force would take shape and what ships would be involved: when asked about the lack of available aircraft carriers, Leach reassured the Prime Minister that the two small carriers available would suffice.<ref name="Telegraph obit."/> Thatcher approved this and preparations were made to send a task force to set sail to retake the Falklands.<ref name="Telegraph obit."/> On account of his determination, Andrew Marr referred to Leach as Thatcher's "Knight in Shining Gold Braid" in his documentary series ''History of Modern Britain''.<ref name="Telegraph obit."/> Upon his retirement in December 1982, Leach was promoted to Admiral of the Fleet.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=49174 |supp=y |page=15293 |date=22 November 1982 }}</ref>

==Later life== In retirement, Leach published his memoirs entitled ''Endure no Makeshifts''.<ref name="Telegraph obit."/> He involved himself in several charitable organisations and acted as President of the Sea Cadet Association from 1983 to 1993.<ref name="Telegraph obit."/> He was the Chairman of the Council of the King Edward VII Hospital as well as being a chairman of the Royal Navy Club of 1765 & 1785 (United 1889).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://royalnavyclub.org/History.html |title=History |publisher=Royal Navy Club of 1765 & 1785 (United 1889) |access-date=27 August 2012 |archive-date=31 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180831164040/http://royalnavyclub.org/History.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2004, it was announced that the new Navy Command Headquarters building of the Royal Navy at Whale Island, Portsmouth, was to be named the "Sir Henry Leach Building" in his honour.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/69FD7584-CA23-431A-8064-FCB04C09F8C1/0/whaleisland.pdf |title=Henry Leach Building, New Naval HQ Whale Island |publisher=Ministry of Defence |work=Defence Estates |year=2004 |access-date=27 August 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007153443/http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/69FD7584-CA23-431A-8064-FCB04C09F8C1/0/whaleisland.pdf |archive-date=7 October 2012 }}</ref>

Leach lived at Wonston in Hampshire<ref name=heath153>Heathcote, p. 153.</ref> and served as Deputy Lieutenant of Hampshire.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=52975 |supp=y |page=10910 |date=29 June 1992 }}</ref> His interests included shooting, fishing and gardening.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/apr/26/admiral-of-the-fleet-sir-henry-leach-obituary |title=Obituary: Admiral of the Fleet Sir Henry Leach |newspaper=The Guardian |date=26 April 2011 |access-date=27 August 2012}}</ref> He died on 26 April 2011 at the age of 87.<ref name="Telegraph obit."/> A Service of Thanksgiving held in his honour was attended by representatives of the British Royal Family, including the then First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope in attendance on behalf of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=225393880823021 |title=Court Circular |newspaper=The Telegraph |date=17 June 2011 |access-date=27 August 2012}}</ref>

==Family== Leach married Mary Jean McCall, daughter of Admiral Sir Henry McCall, in 1958. They had two daughters.<ref name="Telegraph obit."/>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Sources== * {{cite book |last1=Hastings |first1=Max |last2=Jenkins |first2=Simon |title=The Battle for the Falklands|year=1983 |publisher=Pan Books |location=London |isbn=978-0330513630}} * {{cite book |last=Heathcote |first=Tony |title=The British Admirals of the Fleet 1734 – 1995 |publisher=Pen & Sword Ltd |year=2002 |isbn=0-85052-835-6}} * {{cite ODNB|first=Guy|last=Liardet|title=Leach, Sir Henry Conyers (1923–2011)| date= Jan 2015 |id= 103814| url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/public/dnb/103814.html}} * {{cite book |last1=Mahoney |first1=Patrick |last2=Middlebrook |first2=Martin |title=Battleship; The Loss of the Prince of Wales and the Repulse |publisher=Penguin History |year=1979 |isbn=0-14-023469-1}}

==External links== *{{YouTube|IWUO-9TfPlg|Uncommon Knowledge Segment about Thatcher and Leach discussion on Falklands}} * [http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80024622 Imperial War Museum Interview]

{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{succession box |title=Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff |before=Sir Peter Le Cheminant |years=1975–1977 |after=Sir Anthony Morton }} |- {{succession box |title=Commander-in-Chief Fleet |before=Sir John Treacher |years=1977–1979 |after=Sir James Eberle }} |- {{succession box |title=First Sea Lord |before=Sir Terence Lewin |years=1979–1982 |after=Sir John Fieldhouse }} {{s-end}} {{Vice Chiefs of Defence Staff|state=collapsed}} {{First Sea Lord}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Leach, Henry}} Category:1923 births Category:2011 deaths Category:Graduates of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich Category:First Sea Lords and Chiefs of the Naval Staff Category:People educated at St Peter's Court Category:Royal Navy admirals of the fleet Category:Royal Navy officers of World War II Category:Royal Navy personnel of the Falklands War Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Category:Deputy lieutenants of Hampshire Category:Military personnel from Devon