John Leach (Naval Officer)

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John Catterall Leach (d. 1941) (often known as Jack) was a British naval officer. He was captain of the battleship HMS Prince of Wales (1939) during its short period in service.

Very soon after the Prince of Wales entered active service in 1941 he commanded it in the Battle of the Denmark Straits, where it was badly damaged fighting the German battleship Bismarck.

Shortly after this it was sunk by the Japanese. He was not among the survivors.

His son was Henry Leach, who was First Sea Lord of the Royal Navy during the Falklands War.

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