Barklie Lakin
Encyclopedia
Richard Barklie Lakin, DSO
, DSC
& Bar (8 October 1914 – 1 March 2011) was a British industrialist, chairman of Vickers Armstrong
and an officer in the Royal Navy
during the Second World War.
Lakin survived a car accident which claimed his father at the age of eight. He graduated from Britannia Royal Naval College
in Dartmouth in 1932 and joined the cruiser . He transferred to submarines, initially joining and in 1938 as navigating officer. He was due to transfer to the new submarine but this appointment was cancelled before her loss in an accident on 1 June 1939.
On the outbreak of was Lakin transferred to and then to in November 1940 serving in the Mediterranean. A successful series of patrols which sank Italian supply ships and landed or recovered agents on three occasions resulted in the award of Lakin’s first Distinguished Service Cross
. Returning to Britain, Lakin was given command of in December 1941 and was then given command of the Ursula in March 1942. HMS Ursula was based in Malta
as part of the 10th submarine squadron which was charged with interdicting Axis supply convoys to North Africa. Lakin took part in several patrols including support for Operation Torch
for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
and landing agents in Italy.
Lakin was given command of the S-class
submarine in April 1943 and undertook four war patrols. His boat acted as a navigation beacon for US forces during the Invasion of Sicily and sunk several vessels. Lakin was appointed as a liaison officer with the US Navy in 1943 and undertook several patrols on American submarines in the Pacific. Lakin's final naval mission was to look after surrendered U-Boats in Londonderry
, Northern Ireland at the end of the war.
Lakin joined Vickers-Armstrongs in 1946 as an engineer, eventually becoming Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. In 1956 he was based in Egypt and was interned by the Egyptian authorities during the Suez Crisis
.
Lakin married twice; his first wife Pamela Jackson-Taylor died in 1981. His second wife Pansy Philips also pre-deceased him. He is survived by his long term companion, Joy Almond and his three sons and three daughters from his first marriage.
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, DSC
Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is...
& Bar (8 October 1914 – 1 March 2011) was a British industrialist, chairman of Vickers Armstrong
Vickers Armstrong
Vickers-Armstrongs Limited was a British engineering conglomerate formed by the merger of the assets of Vickers Limited and Sir W G Armstrong Whitworth & Company in 1927...
and an officer in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
during the Second World War.
Lakin survived a car accident which claimed his father at the age of eight. He graduated from Britannia Royal Naval College
Britannia Royal Naval College
Britannia Royal Naval College is the initial officer training establishment of the Royal Navy, located on a hill overlooking Dartmouth, Devon, England. While Royal Naval officer training has taken place in the town since 1863, the buildings which are seen today were only finished in 1905, and...
in Dartmouth in 1932 and joined the cruiser . He transferred to submarines, initially joining and in 1938 as navigating officer. He was due to transfer to the new submarine but this appointment was cancelled before her loss in an accident on 1 June 1939.
On the outbreak of was Lakin transferred to and then to in November 1940 serving in the Mediterranean. A successful series of patrols which sank Italian supply ships and landed or recovered agents on three occasions resulted in the award of Lakin’s first Distinguished Service Cross
Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is...
. Returning to Britain, Lakin was given command of in December 1941 and was then given command of the Ursula in March 1942. HMS Ursula was based in Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
as part of the 10th submarine squadron which was charged with interdicting Axis supply convoys to North Africa. Lakin took part in several patrols including support for Operation Torch
Operation Torch
Operation Torch was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign, started on 8 November 1942....
for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
and landing agents in Italy.
Lakin was given command of the S-class
British S class submarine (1931)
The S-class submarines of the Royal Navy were originally designed and built during the modernisation of the submarine force in the early 1930s to meet the need for smaller boats to patrol the restricted waters of the North Sea and the Mediterranean Sea replacing the British H class submarines...
submarine in April 1943 and undertook four war patrols. His boat acted as a navigation beacon for US forces during the Invasion of Sicily and sunk several vessels. Lakin was appointed as a liaison officer with the US Navy in 1943 and undertook several patrols on American submarines in the Pacific. Lakin's final naval mission was to look after surrendered U-Boats in Londonderry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
, Northern Ireland at the end of the war.
Lakin joined Vickers-Armstrongs in 1946 as an engineer, eventually becoming Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. In 1956 he was based in Egypt and was interned by the Egyptian authorities during the Suez Crisis
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
.
Lakin married twice; his first wife Pamela Jackson-Taylor died in 1981. His second wife Pansy Philips also pre-deceased him. He is survived by his long term companion, Joy Almond and his three sons and three daughters from his first marriage.