John Steven Leake (26 October 1949 – 13 February 2000) was an English recipient of the
Distinguished Service Medal whilst working for the
Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes
The Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes (NAAFI ) is a company created by the British government on 9 December 1920 to run recreational establishments needed by the British Armed Forces, and to sell goods to servicemen and their families. It runs c ...
(NAAFI), one of only twelve to be issued to the British forces during the
Falklands War
The Falklands War () was a ten-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982 over two British Overseas Territories, British dependent territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands and Falkland Islands Dependenci ...
. Prior to working for the NAAFI, he worked in private security and was a soldier in the
Devonshire and Dorset Regiment
The Devonshire and Dorset Regiment (11th, 39th and 54th), usually just known as the Devon and Dorsets, was an infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1958 by the amalgamation of two county regiments, the Devonshire Regiment and the Dorset ...
of the
British Army
The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
.
Early life
Born in
Erdington
Erdington is a suburb and ward of Birmingham, in the county of the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. Historic counties of England, Historically part of Warwickshire, it is located northeast of central Birmingham, bordering Sutt ...
, a suburb of
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...
,
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
, Leake attended
Albert Road School in
Aston
Aston is an area of inner Birmingham, in the county of the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. Located immediately to the north-west of Birmingham city centre, Central Birmingham, Aston constitutes a wards of the United Kingdom, war ...
.
Leake joined the
Devonshire and Dorset Regiment
The Devonshire and Dorset Regiment (11th, 39th and 54th), usually just known as the Devon and Dorsets, was an infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1958 by the amalgamation of two county regiments, the Devonshire Regiment and the Dorset ...
, serving with the 1st Battalion of the Regiment in Northern Ireland.
As one of his roles, he was an instructor in the use of the
General-purpose machine gun
A general-purpose machine gun (GPMG) is an air-cooled, usually belt-fed machine gun that can be adapted flexibly to various tactical roles for light and medium machine guns. A GPMG typically features a quick-change barrel design calibered fo ...
.
At the age of 24, he left the
British Army
The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
to work for
private security companies, including for
Securicor at
Birmingham Airport
Birmingham Airport , formerly ''Birmingham International Airport'', is an international airport located east-southeast of Birmingham city centre, west-northwest of Coventry slightly north of Bickenhill village, in the Metropolitan Bor ...
.
He was working for locally based
IMI plc, when he decided to join the
West Midlands Police
West Midlands Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands in England.
The force covers an area of with 2.93million inhabitants, which includes the cities of ...
, but after arriving early for his interview he read a local paper and saw an advertisement for the
Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes
The Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes (NAAFI ) is a company created by the British government on 9 December 1920 to run recreational establishments needed by the British Armed Forces, and to sell goods to servicemen and their families. It runs c ...
(NAAFI), and decided to apply for a job with them instead.
NAAFI career
By the time the
Falklands War
The Falklands War () was a ten-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982 over two British Overseas Territories, British dependent territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands and Falkland Islands Dependenci ...
broke out in 1982, Leake was serving as a Canteen Manager in the Naval Canteen Service wing of the NAAFI on board
HMS ''Ardent'', a
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
Type 21 frigate
The Type 21 frigate, or ''Amazon''-class frigate, was a British Royal Navy general-purpose escort that was designed in the late 1960s, built in the 1970s and served throughout the 1980s into the 1990s.
Development
In the mid-1960s, the Royal Na ...
.
The ship was ordered to proceed to
Ascension Island
Ascension Island is an isolated volcanic island, 7°56′ south of the Equator in the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic Ocean. It is about from the coast of Africa and from the coast of South America. It is governed as part of the British Overs ...
, where after three days it proceeded to the Falklands. On the morning of 7 May, he was invited to practice on a general-purpose machine gun, being informed afterwards that he was to take up that role instead at action stations should active service be declared,
with his former role of casualty coordinator in sickbay being taken by his Canteen Assistant, Nigel Woods.
While en route, active service was declared and Leake signed on to the Royal Navy on a temporary basis, becoming a
petty officer
A petty officer (PO) is a non-commissioned officer in many navies. Often they may be superior to a seaman, and subordinate to more senior non-commissioned officers, such as chief petty officers.
Petty officers are usually sailors that have ...
in the Royal Navy, but continuing in his previous role as Canteen Manager.
On 21 May, the ''Ardent'' moved into position in
Falkland Sound
The Falkland Sound () is a sea strait in the Falkland Islands. Running southwest-northeast, it separates West and East Falkland.
Name
The sound was named by John Strong in 1690 for Viscount Falkland, the name only later being applied to th ...
as the lead ship to bombard Argentine positions in order to divert the attention of the enemy force from the British landing in the
San Carlo inlet. Leake operated a deck mounted machine gun during the ensuing attacks by Argentine aircraft, and was credited with downing an Argentine
Douglas A-4 Skyhawk,
puncturing the plane's fuel tanks.
He continued to man the gun whilst the ship was hit by seventeen missiles and bombs. Along with the remaining crew, Leake abandoned ship, boarding
HMS ''Yarmouth'', which pulled alongside the listing ''Ardent''.
Leake was later posted to
HMS ''Sutherland'', and died on 13 February 2000 in
St Luke's Hospice, Plymouth, from
cancer
Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...
after previously having a kidney removed in an attempt to beat the disease. His funeral took place at the crematorium at
Weston Mill, Plymouth on 21 February 2000.
Private life
Leake married Carole, and together they had a son as well as two sons from Carole's previous marriage. At the time of Leake's death, he was living in
Milehouse,
Plymouth
Plymouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Devon, South West England. It is located on Devon's south coast between the rivers River Plym, Plym and River Tamar, Tamar, about southwest of Exeter and ...
.
He was one of five brothers, the others being David, Ian, Geoffrey, and Stephen.
Legacy
Admiral
Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...
Sandy Woodward
Admiral Sir John Forster "Sandy" Woodward, (1 May 1932 – 4 August 2013) was a senior Royal Navy officer who commanded the Task Force of the Falklands War.
Early life
Woodward was born on 1 May 1932 at Marazion, near Penzance, Cornwall, to a ...
, the commander of the British Naval Force during the Falklands War, wrote about Leake in his memoirs. He said "I was sure there would be many stories of heroism to come out of it, but of them all, I remain most impressed by the conduct of John Leake who manned the machine gun in Ardent. He was not really in the Navy, but, as we say, we are all of one company, the Captain and the NAAFI man. And we all go together."
Following Leake's death in 2000, his medals were put up for auction on 23 September 2011. They sold for £110,000, beating the previous record paid for a Distinguished Service Medal set at £59,800 in 2003.
See also
*
Tommy Brown
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leake, John
1949 births
2000 deaths
Royal Navy personnel of the Falklands War
Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (United Kingdom)
Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes personnel
Royal Navy sailors
Deaths from cancer in England
Devonshire and Dorset Regiment soldiers
Military personnel from Birmingham, West Midlands
People from Erdington