| John Catterall Leach (KIA) | |
|---|---|
| Nickname | Jack |
| Born | 1 September 1894 |
| Died | 10 December 1941 (aged 47) Killed in action, off Malaya |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1907–1941 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Commands held | HMS Cumberland (May 1936 – Oct 1938) HMS Prince of Wales (15 Feb 1941 – 10 Dec 1941 |
| Battles/wars | World War I World War II – Denmark Strait – Sinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse |
| Awards | DSO, MVO |
| Relations | Admiral of the Fleet Sir Henry Leach (1923-2011, son and First Sea Lord) |
John Catterall Leach DSO (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 she fought under Captain Leach's command in the Battle of the Denmark Strait, and suffered damage fighting the German battleship Bismarck. However damage inflicted by the Prince of Wales caused the Bismarck to lose fuel, forcing the latter to attempt to return to a base in occupied France.
Despite a proposal to court-martial Leach for breaking off the action with the Bismarck after the Hood had sunk,[1] he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his part.[2]
In late 1941, Prince of Wales formed part of Force Z sent to Singapore. Off of the coast of Malaya, she was sunk by the Japanese. Captain Leach apparently abandoned Prince of Wales at the very last minute, but did not survive the vessel's sinking. His body was seen floating in the water a short time after the sinking.
His son was Henry Leach (1923-2011), who was First Sea Lord of the Royal Navy during the Falklands War.