Francis Martin-Leake
Vice-Admiral Francis Martin-Leake was a British Royal Navy officer. During the First World War. He commanded HMS Achilles during the Action of 16 March 1917 and managed to sink the SMS Leopard. He also commanded HMS Pathfinder and was a survivor of its sinking on 5 September 1914. Francis was the older brother of Arthur Martin-Leake.
Early military career
Leake joined the Royal Navy and was promoted to Lieutenant on 1 April 1892. He was then promoted to Commander on 31 December 1903 and Captain on 22 June 1911. On 1 January 1913 Leake was appointed captain of HMS Amethyst before being transferred to HMS Pathfinder on 1 October.World War I
Leake was still commanding HMS Pathfinder when World War I broke out and continued to serve as its commander until the SM U-21 sunk the ship off the Firth of Forth. Leake stayed in the ship as it was sinking but was picked up and saved as he states:On 6 October he was sent to Portsmouth to serve in HMS Victory and to train up Admiralty M-class destroyers. He then proceeded to command on 19 February 1915. He was appointed as an additional commander to on 20 June 1917 as a 2nd Class Commodore of the chief of staff of the Commander-in-Chief of the Coast of Ireland. Lewis Bayly described Leake as "a most exceptional man, for everyone loved the little Commodore". Leake also participated at the Action of 16 March 1917 while commanding HMS Achilles and managed to sink and killing Korvettenkapitän Hans von Laffert.