Boyle also served in the Second World War, first as head of planning for Operation Catherine, an abortive naval offensive in the Baltic Sea proposed by Winston Churchill which aimed to cut off the flow of iron ore from Sweden. He then became commander designate of a planned Anglo-French expedition to assist the Finns in the Winter War they were waging against a Soviet attack: this expedition was also called off. Finally, he was given command of a naval force with a mission to retake the strategic port of Narvik in Norway from the Germans: although Narvik was briefly captured, all allied troops were eventually withdrawn.
Boyle transferred to the corvetteHMS Active in the Training Squadron in July 1892 and, having been promoted to sub-lieutenant on 1 July 1894,[3] he joined the gunboat HMS Lizard on the Australia Station in September 1894.[2] Promoted to lieutenant on 1 October 1895,[4] he transferred to the cruiser HMS Furious in the Channel Squadron in July 1898 and then became first lieutenant in the sloopHMS Daphne on the China Station in November 1898: in this capacity, he saw action during the Boxer Rebellion.[2] He was appointed First Lieutenant in the torpedo gunboat HMS Hazard on 2 July 1902,[5] before becoming commanding officer in the destroyerHMS Haughty on 28 August 1902.[6][7] He went on to be Executive Officer in the cruiser HMS Astraea in the Mediterranean Fleet in February 1904 and, having been promoted to commander on 31 December 1906,[8] he was reassigned as Executive Officer in the battleship HMS Hibernia in the Channel Fleet in January 1907.[6] He joined the Naval Intelligence Division at the Admiralty in January 1909 before becoming Executive Officer in the armoured cruiserHMS Good Hope in the Atlantic Fleet in 1911.[6] He went on to be commanding officer of the scout cruiser HMS Skirmisher in the Home Fleet in January 1912 and was promoted captain on 30 June 1913.[9] He was appointed British naval attaché in Rome in July 1913 and in that capacity was involved as an observer during the Second Balkan War.[6] For this work he was appointed a Commander of the Italian Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus.[10]
Cork then became commander designate of a planned Anglo-French expedition to assist the Finns in the Winter War they were waging against a Soviet attack: Finland agreed to Soviet terms in March 1940 and this expedition was also called off.[14]
In April 1940 Cork was given command of a naval force with a mission to retake the strategic port of Narvik in Norway from the Germans: he flew his flag from the cruiser, HMS Aurora.[14] 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.[27] Cork bombarded Narvik and then abandoned the mission in the face of strong German opposition.[27] 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.[27] He was awarded the Norwegian Order of St. Olav for this operation on 13 October 1942.[28]
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.[27]
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.[32] They had no children.[2]