Bernard Armitage Warburton Warburton-Lee

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Captain Bernard Armitage Warburton Warburton-Lee, V.C. (13 September, 1895 – 10 April, 1940) served in the Royal Navy and possessed such remarkable abilities at tennis and other sports that they are often mentioned in his service records.

He added the hyphen in his name on 25 November, 1919.

Life & Career

Lee's first naval appointment was to Hyacinth as a Midshipman on 15 January, 1913. He was promoted to the rank of Acting Sub-Lieutenant on 15 January, 1915 and to Sub-Lieutenant on 15 July, on both occasions being re-appointed in Hyacinth. He quit the ship on 31 July, 1915 and took an appointment in the destroyer Cherwell on 15 September.[1]

Lee left Cherwell on 3 January, 1916 and the next day received an appointment in the more modern destroyer Mameluke.

Lee was promoted to the rank of Acting Lieutenant on 15 January, 1917, and to Lieutenant on 15 April.[2]

Lee left Mameluke when he was appointed to the Mischief on 21 April, 1917. He went over to Wrestler on 16 April, 1918. Lee was mentioned in despatches for his services in Grand Fleet destroyers in the first half of 1918. However, in November, 1918, a Court of Enquiry found him at fault in a collision between Conqueror and his command, Wrestler. Lee had not been keeping a good lookout and was cautioned to be more careful in future.[3]

Post-War

Warburton-Lee did not leave Wrestler until 12 April, 1921 and proceeded to take a series of Gunnery courses, intersperse with some unpaid time.

He married on 9 October, 1924 and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 15 January, 1925.[4]

Warburton-Lee was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1936.[5]

World War II

Appointed in command of Hardy on 28 July, 1939 and as Captain (D), Second Destroyer Flotilla.[6]

Warburton-Lee was in her when he was killed in action in the First Battle of Narvik on 10 April, 1940, being awarded the Victoria Cross on 5 June, 1940 for his bold leadership in the battle.[7]

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Irvine G. Glennie
Captain of H.M.S. Tuscan
28 Nov, 1924[8] – 7 Feb, 1925[9]
Succeeded by
Reginald B. C. Hutchinson
Preceded by
Frederick Medway
Captain of H.M.S. Sterling
7 Feb, 1925[10] – 30 Mar, 1926[11]
Succeeded by
Stephen H. T. Arliss
Preceded by
William S. Moor
Captain of H.M.S. Walpole
30 Mar, 1926[12][13] – 5 Apr, 1928[14]
Succeeded by
Richard F. Jolly
Preceded by
Gordon F. Hannay
Captain of H.M.S. Vanessa
9 Apr, 1928[15][16] – Jul, 1930[17]
Succeeded by
Cyril F. Tower
Preceded by
Ivo W. L. Frewen-Laton
Captain of H.M.S. Bryony
7 Apr, 1933[18] – Jan, 1934[19]
Succeeded by
Cecil A. N. Chatwin
Preceded by
Ralph Kerr
Captain of H.M.S. Decoy
23 Oct, 1934[20]
Succeeded by
John M. Howson
Preceded by
John M. Howson
Captain of H.M.S. Witch
17 Dec, 1934[21] – Jan, 1936[22]
Succeeded by
John Lee-Barber
Preceded by
Wilfrid R. Patterson
Captain of H.M.S. Hawkins
14 Feb, 1938[23] – 21 Jun, 1938[24]
Succeeded by
Thomas I. S. Bell
Preceded by
Hugh W. S. Browning
Captain of H.M.S. Effingham
21 Jun, 1938[25] – 17 Apr, 1939[26][27]
Succeeded by
John M. Howson
Preceded by
Ralph Kerr
Captain of H.M.S. Hardy
28 Jul, 1939 – 10 Apr, 1940
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Ralph Kerr
Captain (D), Second Destroyer Flotilla
28 Jul, 1939[28][29] – 10 Apr, 1940[30]
Succeeded by
Arthur N. Rowell
as Commander (D), Second Destroyer Flotilla

Footnotes

  1. Warburton-Lee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM196/146. f. 1.
  2. Warburton-Lee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM196/146. f. 1.
  3. Warburton-Lee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM196/146. f. 1.
  4. Warburton-Lee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM196/146. f. 1.
  5. Warburton-Lee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/93/23. f. 23.
  6. Warburton-Lee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/93/23. f. 23.
  7. Warburton-Lee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/93/23. f. 23.
  8. Warburton-Lee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM196/146. f. 1.
  9. Warburton-Lee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM196/146. f. 1.
  10. Warburton-Lee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM196/146. f. 1.
  11. Warburton-Lee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM196/146. f. 1.
  12. The Navy List. (July, 1927). p. 286.
  13. Warburton-Lee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM196/146. f. 1.
  14. Warburton-Lee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM196/146. f. 1.
  15. The Navy List. (February, 1929). p. 278.
  16. Warburton-Lee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM196/146. f. 1.
  17. Warburton-Lee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM196/146. f. 1.
  18. The Navy List. (July, 1934). p. 219.
  19. Wikipedia.
  20. "Naval Appointments." The Times (London, England), 27 Aug. 1934, p. 15.
  21. The Navy List. (October, 1935). p. 293.
  22. Wikipedia.
  23. Warburton-Lee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/93/23. f. 23.
  24. Warburton-Lee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/93/23. f. 23.
  25. Warburton-Lee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/93/23. f. 23.
  26. Warburton-Lee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/93/23. f. 23.
  27. The Navy List. (May, 1939). p. 280.
  28. "2nd Flotilla Command." The Times (London, England), 28 July 1939, p. 25.
  29. Warburton-Lee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/93/23. f. 23.
  30. Warburton-Lee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/93/23. f. 23.