Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Chief Petty Officer L. W. Heal, Royal Navy, killed in action in H.M.S. Hardy during the the battle of Narvik, 10 April 1940- the Captain of H.M.S. Hardy, B. A. W. Warburton-Lee, was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross for his gallantry during the battle

1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; War Medal 1939-45, with named Admiralty enclosure, in card box of issue, addressed to ‘Mr. A. W. Heal, 237 North Road, Plymouth, Devon’, extremely fine (3) £120-160

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to Second World War Casualties.

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Leonard William Heal served during the Second World War in H.M.S. Hardy, and was killed in action during the Battle of Narvik, 10 April 1940. The Dictionary of Disasters at Sea gives the following account: ‘The flotilla leader H.M.S. Hardy was commanded by Captain B. A. W. Warburton-Lee, who also commanded the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla. Five of the ships of the flotilla were operating off Narvik in connection with sowing minefields in Norwegian waters to prevent there continued use by German shipping. On 9 April 1940 it was known to the world that Germany was attacking Norway and that as part of her plan eleven large destroyers, each transporting 300 soldiers and accompanied by several merchantmen had steamed into Ofot Fjord on their way to Narvik. This news had been transmitted to the Admiralty by Captain Warburton-Lee, who was at once informed that the odds against the small British force were so heavy that it would be left to his own judgement to attack immediately or to await reinforcements. Captain Warburton-Lee elected to attack before the Germans had time to complete their landing or consolidate their position, so at three o’clock on 10 April 1940 the five British destroyers entered Ofot Fjord. The British steamed down the long fjord without incident and appeared before Narvik harbour at about four-thirty p.m. H.M.S. Hardy at once steamed in to reconnoitre, leaving her four consorts outside. She made a full circuit of the harbour, which was full of shipping and engaged a 1625-ton destroyer with gunfire and torpedo. Two torpedoes were discharged and the German was hit and blew up. Before leaving H.M.S. Hardy engaged another two of the enemy as well as the shore batteries but was not hit. Captain Warburton-Lee then ordered his four consorts to circle the harbour in turn, his own ship following. This was repeated a second time and on withdrawing a fresh force of three enemy destroyers were sighted emerging from the Rombaks Fjord which opens into Ofot Fjord above Narvik. This force was immediately engaged and reinforced by two other destroyers from the same direction. The fight that ensued was extremely fierce. H.M.S. Hardy was disabled and Captain Warburton-Lee was mortally wounded. All of the officers were either killed or wounded and the Paymaster, Lieutenant G. H. Stanning, himself wounded in the foot, had to assume the duties of bridge officer and ran H.M.S. Hardy ashore to prevent further loss of life. The loss on H.M.S. Hardy amounted to two officers killed, one of whom was Captain Warburton-Lee, and sixteen ratings killed. Three officers and six ratings were severely wounded.’

For his gallantry that day Captain Warburton-Lee was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross, the first V.C. to be Gazetted in the Second Word War. Heal was one of those killed, and he is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial.