John Leake (NAAFI manager) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Leake
DSM
|
|
|---|---|
| Birth name | John Steven Leake |
| Born | 26 October 1949 Erdington, Birmingham, England |
| Died | 13 February 2000 (aged 50) Plymouth, England |
| Buried |
Weston Mill, Plymouth, England
|
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 British ArmyNAAFI  Royal Navy |
| Rank | Canteen Manager (NAAFI) Petty officer (Royal Navy) |
| Unit | Devonshire and Dorset Regiment HMS Ardent HMS Sutherland |
| Battles/wars | Falklands War * Battle of Falkland Sound |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Medal |
John Steven Leake (born October 26, 1949 – died February 13, 2000) was a brave English hero. He received the Distinguished Service Medal for his actions during the Falklands War. This special award is given for great bravery. John Leake was working for the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes (NAAFI) at the time. Only twelve such medals were given to British forces during that war. Before joining NAAFI, he was a soldier in the British Army and also worked in private security.
Contents
John Leake's Early Life
John Leake was born in Erdington, a part of Birmingham, England. He went to Albert Road School in Aston. When he was older, John joined the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment. This was a part of the British Army. He served with them in Northern Ireland. One of his jobs was to teach others how to use a powerful weapon called a general-purpose machine gun.
When he was 24, John left the army. He started working for companies that provide security. One of these was Securicor at Birmingham Airport. Later, he saw an advertisement for the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes (NAAFI). NAAFI provides shops, bars, and other services to British armed forces. John decided to apply for a job with them instead.
Serving in the Falklands War
By 1982, John Leake was working as a Canteen Manager for NAAFI. He was on board HMS Ardent, a Royal Navy ship. This ship was a Type 21 frigate, a type of fast warship.
When the Falklands War began, HMS Ardent was sent to the Falkland Islands. John was asked to take on an important role. He was to operate a general-purpose machine gun during battles. His usual job of helping injured people would be done by his assistant. On the way to the Falklands, John officially joined the Royal Navy for a short time. He became a petty officer, but he still managed the canteen.
The Battle of Falkland Sound
On May 21, HMS Ardent moved into Falkland Sound. Its mission was to attack Argentine positions. This was to distract the enemy from British troops landing nearby. During the battle, Argentine aircraft attacked the ship. John Leake bravely operated a machine gun on the ship's deck. He was credited with shooting down an Argentine Douglas A-4 Skyhawk plane. He hit the plane's fuel tanks.
Even after the ship was hit many times by missiles and bombs, John kept firing his gun. The ship was badly damaged. John and the other crew members had to leave the ship. They boarded HMS Yarmouth, another British ship, which came to help.
After this, John Leake was assigned to another ship, HMS Sutherland. John Leake passed away on February 13, 2000. He died from cancer in St Luke's Hospice, Plymouth. His funeral was held in Weston Mill, Plymouth.
John Leake's Legacy
Admiral Sandy Woodward was the commander of the British Naval Force during the Falklands War. He wrote about John Leake in his memories. Admiral Woodward said he was very impressed by John Leake's bravery. He noted that John was not officially a Navy sailor at first, but he fought like one. He said, "we are all of one company, the Captain and the NAAFI man. And we all go together."
In 2011, John Leake's medals were sold at an auction. They sold for £110,000. This was a record price for a Distinguished Service Medal at that time. It showed how much people respected his bravery and service.
See also
- Tommy Brown
