Bernard Armitage Warburton Warburton-Lee
Captain, Royal Navy 2nd Destroyer Flotilla
- Register No.
- 731 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Captain all Captains →
- Unit
- Royal Navy 2nd Destroyer Flotilla (register: HMS Hardy) all HMS Hardy VCs →
- Date of action
- 10 April 1940 on this day → all of 1940 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Second World War
- London Gazette
- 7th June 1940 on this day → all of 1940 →
- Born
- 13th September, 1895 at Redbrook, Maelor,Flintshire, Wales
- Died
- in action at Ofot Fjiord, Narvik, Norway on 10th April
- Award
- Posthumous all posthumous VCs →
- Memorial / grave
- Ballangen New Cemetery, Norway and on the Iscoed War Memorial, Flintshire, Wales
Digest of citation
On 10th April 1940, Captain Warburton-Lee, of HMS Hardy, led 5 destroyers, through a blinding snowstorm, in a surprise attack on German destroyers and merchant ships. The action was successful but almost immediately they were engaged by another 5 German destroyers of superior gun-power. HMS Hardy's bridge was hit by a shell, mortally wounding Captain Warburton-Lee. His last signal was "Keep engaging the enemy."
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
WARBURTON-LEE, Bernard Armitage Warburton. (reg No. 731).
Captain. Royal Navy 2nd Destroyer Flotilla.
London Gazetted on 7th June 1940.
Born 13th September, 1895 at Redbrook, Maelor,Flintshire, Wales.
Killed in action at Ofot Fjiord, Narvik, Norway on 10th April 1940.
Memorials at Ballangen New Cemetery, Norway and on the Iscoed War Memorial, Flintshire, Wales.
Digest of Citation reads: On 10th April 1940, Captain Warburton-Lee, of HMS Hardy, led 5 destroyers, through a blinding snowstorm, in a surprise attack on German destroyers and merchant ships. The action was successful but almost immediately they were engaged by another 5 German destroyers of superior gun-power. HMS Hardy's bridge was hit by a shell, mortally wounding Captain Warburton-Lee. His last signal was "Keep engaging the enemy." .
Additional information:. Captain Warburton-Lee was the first man to be Gazetted for the Victoria Cross in World War Two.
Additional information
Captain Warburton-Lee was the first man to be Gazetted for the Victoria Cross in World War Two.
1940.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: Ballangen New Cemetery, Norway and on the Iscoed War Memorial, Flintshire, Wales
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
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