John Leach (Royal Navy officer)

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John Catterall Leach (1894-1941) (often known as Jack) was a British naval officer. He was the only captain of the battleship HMS Prince of Wales during her short period in service.

Very soon after the Prince of Wales entered active service in 1941 he commanded it in the Battle of the Denmark Strait, where she was damaged fighting the German battleship Bismarck but inflicted sufficient damage to force the latter to withdraw.

Shortly after this, the Prince of Wales was sent to Singapore. Off of the coast of Malaya, she was sunk by the Japanese. Captain Leach abandoned Prince of Wales at the very last minute, however he didn't survive. His body was seen floating in the water a short time after the sinking. There are two theories on how he may have died. He had a purple complexion and vomit in and around his mouth which indicates he may have been pulled down by suction and drowned. However, some argue that due to shock or panic, he inflated his lifejacket before jumping into the sea thereby breaking his neck when he hit the water. His son was Henry Leach, who was First Sea Lord of the Royal Navy during the Falklands War.