Barklie Lakin

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.

Barklie Lakin
Born(1914-10-08)8 October 1914
Died1 March 2011(2011-03-01) (aged 96)
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchRoyal Navy
Years of service1932–1946
RankLieutenant Commander
UnitHMS Ursula
HMS Safari
Battles/warsSecond World War
AwardsDistinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Cross & Bar
Legion of Merit (USA)

Life

Lakin survived a car accident which claimed his father at the age of eight.[1] He graduated from Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth in 1932 and joined the cruiser HMS Sussex. He transferred to submarines, initially joining HMS Narwhal and in 1938 HMS Ursula as navigating officer. He was due to transfer to the new submarine HMS Thetis but this appointment was cancelled before her loss in an accident on 1 June 1939.

On the outbreak of war Lakin transferred to HMS H32 and then to HMS Utmost 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 HMS H43 in December 1941 and was then given command of 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.[2]

Lakin was given command of the S-class submarine HMS Safari 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 Derry, 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.[2]

Family

Lakin married twice; his first wife Pamela Jackson-Taylor died in 1981. His second wife Pansy Philips also pre-deceased him. He was survived by his long term companion Joy Almond, and his three sons and three daughters from his first marriage.[2]

Sources
  1. "Lieutenant-Commander Barklie Lakin". The Times. 17 March 2011.
  2. "Lt-Cdr Barklie Lakin". The Telegraph. 24 March 2011.
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