Henry Leach

Admiral of the Fleet Sir Henry Conyers Leach, (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".

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. he was assigned to . Before he could take up the post, however, his father was given command, so he was reassigned to . Mauritius soon went into refit in Singapore, during which time Leach was assigned to the war room there as a plotting officer. His obituary in The Daily Telegraph noted that "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." His next post was on the destroyer before being promoted to sub-lieutenant on 1 October 1942 and posted to , the flagship of the Home Fleet, in January 1943.

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.

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, and then became Flag Officer First Flotilla in May 1974, with promotion to vice admiral on 6 July 1974. He commanded the flotilla from . He became Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff in January 1976, he was promoted to full admiral on 30 March 1977 on appointment as Commander-in-Chief Fleet and NATO Commander-in-Chief, Channel and Commander-in-Chief Eastern Atlantic.

Leach was appointed First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff on 6 July 1979 and in that role fiercely resisted naval cuts proposed by Defence Secretary John Nott.

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. 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.

Later life In retirement, Leach published his memoirs entitled Endure no Makeshifts.

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.

Leach lived at Wonston in Hampshire and served as Deputy Lieutenant of Hampshire. His interests included shooting, fishing and gardening. He died on 26 April 2011 at the age of 87.

Family Leach married Mary Jean McCall, daughter of Admiral Sir Henry McCall, in 1958. They had two daughters.