from the Germans: he flew his flag from the cruiser, HMS Aurora. Cork was in favour of an immediate storming of Narvik using both military and naval forces, but the more cautious army commander, Major General Pierse Joseph Mackesy, had orders not to attempt an opposed landing. Cork bombarded Narvik and then abandoned the mission in the face of strong German opposition. Cork provided covering fire for the landing of troops of the French Foreign Legion at Bjerkvik in May 1940 and, although Narvik was briefly captured, he was asked to support the withdrawal of all allied troops in June 1940. He was awarded the Norwegian Order of St. Olav for this operation on 13 October 1942. Later years Churchill was outraged at Admiral Sir James Somerville for not continuing the pursuit of the Italian Navy after the Battle of Cape Spartivento in November 1940 and dispatched Cork to conduct an inquiry, but Cork found that Somerville had acted entirely appropriately. Cork served in the Home Guard during the final years of the Second World War and became President of Shaftesbury Homes and Arethusa, a training school for homeless boys in London, in 1942. He attended the funeral of King George VI in February 1952. He died in his home in London on 19 April 1967. He is buried in the graveyard of the Church of St Leonard, Marston Bigot in Somerset, near Marston House, the family seat. Family Boyle married, at St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, Chelsea, on 24 July 1902 Lady Florence Keppel (1871–1963), youngest daughter of the William Keppel, 7th Earl of Albemarle. They had no children. References Sources Further reading External links Royal Navy (RN) Officers 1939–1945 |- |- |- |- |- 1873 births 1967 deaths Burials in Somerset Graduates of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich Royal Navy admirals of World War II Royal Navy admirals of the fleet Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order Royal Navy officers of World War I William Admiral presidents of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich British Home Guard officers British people of Irish descent British naval attachés People from Farnham Military personnel from Surrey 12th 12th 9th