Memorial
Captain B Warburton Lee VC
Current Location
St Mary's Church, Whitewell, Wrexham, Clwyd, SY13 3AR, Wales
OS Grid Reference
SJ 495 415
Denomination
Church in Wales
Names listed on this memorial
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© WMR-49856
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- Type of Memorial
- Board / Plaque / Tablet
- WMR Reference Number
- 49856
- Description
- Slate tablet with Victoria Cross on left. Coat of arms at right.
- Inscription
- IN MEMORY OF/ BERNARD WARBURTON-LEE V.C./ CAPTAIN ROYAL NAVY/ BORN AT BROAD OAK IN THIS PARISH 13TH SEPT 1896/ KILLED IN ACTION AT NARVIK 10TH APRIL 1940/ THE VICTORIA CROSS WAS AWARDED FOR GALLANTRY, ENTERPRISE/ AND DARING, IN COMMAND OF THE FORCE ENGAGED IN THE FIRST/ BATTLE OF NARVIK 10TH APRIL 1940./ "ON BEING ORDERED TO CARRY OUT AN ATTACK ON NARVIK, HE/ LEARNED THAT THE ENEMY HELD THE PLACE IN MUCH GREATER FORCE/ THAN HAD BEEN THOUGHT. HE SIGNALLED TO THE ADMIRALTY THAT/ THE ENEMY WERE REPORTED TO BE HOLDING NARVIK IN FORCE, THAT/ SIX DESTROYERS AND ONE SUBMARINE WERE THERE, THAT THE CHANNEL MIGHT BE MINED AND THAT HE INTENDED TO ATTACK/ AT DAWN, HIGHWATER./ THE ADMIRALTY REPLIED THAT TWO NORWEGIAN COAST DEFENCE/ SHIPS MIGHT BE IN GERMAN HANDS, THAT HE ALONE COULD JUDGE/ WHETHER TO ATTACK AND WHATEVER DECISION HE MADE WOULD/ HAVE FULL SUPPORT. CAPTAIN WARBURTON-LEE GAVE OUT THE/ PLAN FOR HIS ATTACK AND LED HIS FLOTILLA OF FIVE DESTROYERS/ UP THE FJORD IN HEAVY SNOWSTORMS, ARRIVING OFF NARVIK JUST/ AFTER DAYBREAK. HE TOOK THE ENEMY COMPLETELY BY SURPRISE/ AND MADE THREE SUCCESSFUL ATTACKS ON WARSHIPS AND/ MERCHANTMEN IN THE HARBOUR. THE LAST ATTACK WAS MADE/ ONLY AFTER ANXIOUS DEBATE./ ON THE FLOTILLA WITHDRAWING, FIVE ENEMY DESTROYERS OF/ SUPERIOR GUN POWER WERE ENCOUNTERED AND ENGAGED. THE/ CAPTAIN WAS MORTALLY WOUNDED BY A SHELL WHICH HIT/ H.M.S. HARDY'S BRIDGE. HIS LAST SIGNAL WAS/ "CONTINUE TO ENGAGE THE ENEMY".
- War
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Number Commemorated
- 1
- Died
- 1
- Information shown
- rank, surname, date of death, date of birth, service, place of death, forename, manner of death, additional
- Number Commemorated
- 1
- Died
- 1
- Information shown
- rank, surname, date of death, date of birth, service, place of death, forename, manner of death, additional
Components
- Tablet
Height: 1200 MM
Width: 800 MM
Depth: 50 MM
Made from: Slate
Condition: Unknown