World War II
Warburton-Lee was 44 years old, and a captain in the Royal Navy during the Second World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 10 April 1940 in Ofotfjord, Narvik, Norway, in the First Battle of Narvik Captain Warburton-Lee of HMS Hardy commanded the British 2nd Destroyer Flotilla consisting of five destroyers (HMS Hardy, Havock, Hostile, Hotspur and Hunter) in a surprise attack on German destroyers and merchant ships in a blinding snowstorm. This was successful, and was almost immediately followed by an engagement with five more German destroyers, during which Captain Warburton-Lee was mortally wounded by a shell which hit Hardy's bridge. For his exploits in this engagement he was awarded Britain's highest decoration for valour in combat, the Victoria Cross, posthumously. During World War II, only 23 Victoria Crosses were awarded to members of the Royal Navy and Royal Naval Reserve, and of those only approximately 11 survived. In 1942 he was also awarded the Norwegian War Cross.
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