Barklie Lakin

Who was Barklie Lakin?

Richard Barklie Lakin, DSO, DSC& Bar was a British industrialist, chairman of Vickers Armstrong and an officer in the Royal Navy during the Second World War.

Lakin survived a car accident which claimed his father at the age of eight. 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 was 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 the 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.