|
|
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this site you agree to accept cookies.
If you enjoy this site please consider making a donation.
Site Home
Help & FAQs
Features
Submissions
Information
Advertisements
World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment
Rflmn. G. Lee
British Army 5th Btn. King's (Liverpool Regiment)
from:Liverpool
(d.4th July 1916)
Rifleman Lee was aged 26 when he died at No 16 Stationary Hospital, Le Treport, France on 4th July 1916. He was the son of William and Sarah A Lee of Liverpool. He is buried in Le Treport Military Cemetery, Plot 2, Row L, Grave 7C.
Pte. George Lee
British Army A Coy. 9th Btn. Norfolk Regiment
from:8 Heath Road, Norwich
(d.21st Mar 1918)
Only discovered George Lee even lived a few days ago let alone that he died in the Great War. George had an older sister Ethel a younger sister Alice who was my mum and a brother Arthur who was murdered by the Israelites in 1948 and another brother Walter. All are dead now so cannot ask questions. I just want to know how he died, in which battle and where he is now.
Gnr. Graham Lee
British Army 173rd Brigade, D Bty Royal Field Artillery
(d.23rd April 1918)
Graham Lee was aged 34 when he died. He is buried in Ebblinghem Military Cemetery, France, Grave I.B.9. He was the son of John and Emma Lee, Shepreth, Royston, Hertfordshire.
Rflmn. Harry Lee
British Army 7th Battalion Kings Royal Rifles Corps
from:Ashton under Lyne
(d.11th May 1917)
Harry Lee is my great uncle. He was born in 1894 his dad was also Harry Lee, his mum Ada Lee nee Martin married Samuel Wilde and had other children. I am not sure when Harry enlisted, and I don't know much of what he did in the war but I do know he died on the 11th of May 1917. He was on parade at unit HQ in Flanders when he and two other men were hit by a shell and blown up. I think it really sad that he died so young I hope he had some fun before he died. I like to think that he was killed instantly and didn't suffer. I don't know what happened to the other two men. I feel for my great grandmother she must have been really devastated. His name is on the Memorial Panel in Wancourt Road Cemetery.
Pte. Isaac Lee
British Army 5th Btn. Royal Irish Fusiliers
from:Belfast
(d.8th Aug 1915)
Pte. Jack Lee
British Army 2nd Btn. Seaforth Highlanders
(d.8th Aug 1944)
My uncle, Private Jack Lee, 2nd Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders, was killed in action in Normandy on 8th August 1944.
He was my father’s youngest brother. He grew up with his father William, sister Maud and two elder brothers William and Raymond the eldest (my dad) who both served and survived in the army. They all grew up without their mother Florence, who died shortly after Jack was born. Everyone in my family used to say what a lovely kind man Jack was and we have some letters he wrote to his sister whilst on service. Now my grandson is named Thomas Jack in memory of him. He often asks me about his great-great uncle even though he is only six years old and as a Beaver proudly took part in the local Armistice parade. I am sure the memory of Jack and all the other casualties of war will live on.
Capt. Jack Lee MC.
British Army 6th Btn. Cheshire Regiment
from:Woodside, Wilmslow, Cheshire
(d.31st July 1917)
My grandfather, Jack Lee, was the eightth child of William Lee, who from poor beginnings had founded a successful Manchester Clothing Company, Kay & Lee Ltd., and his wife Isabella.
At the outbreak of war Jack had joined the Manchester Regiment with his older brother Bert (who was killed at Gallipoli on Christmas Day 1915), but he then trained to be an officer and was commissioned into the Cheshire Regiment in January 1915. He was posted to Aberystwyth for training where that summer he met and fell in love with a university student, Nancy Erskine. Shortly after they met, her brother Tommy was killed in action on the Western front at Hooge in Belgium. In an act of incredible courage, he had tried to break into a German pill-box with an axe. He had previously been awarded the Military Cross for bravery, and his family believe that his final act was recommended (without success) for a Victoria Cross.
At Christmas Jack bought Nancy an engagement ring. They were married the following year, and on 15th February 1917 she gave birth to William Jack Barrie Lee, my father. Jack was able to take leave for the week of the birth before leaving Carlisle when the baby was two days old. He spent a couple of days at the family home in Wilmslow before travelling south to rejoin his regiment. However, his sailing was cancelled due to enemy submarines in the channel and he was able to make the lengthy journey back to Carlisle for another brief visit, finally sailing for France on 24th February 1917.
Jack Lee never saw his son again. Five months later the Cheshire Regiment took part in the Third Ypres offensive which began on 31st July with an action known as the Battle of Pilckem Ridge. In a letter written to Isabella Lee after he was released from captivity at the end of the war, Corporal F Burch of the 1st Battalion Hertfordshire Regiment described the events of that morning:
Streatham SW
17/1/19
Dear Mrs Lee,
I hope you will not think badly of me for not answering your lovely letters before, but really my time seems so full that I have had to neglect my correspondence. Miss Rendell certainly did wonder why you had not answered her letter, but was sure you had a good reason for it. We are both deeply sorry that it was the death of your sister-in-law, and pray that God in all his goodness has given you strength to bear this additional sorrow. (A reference to Aunt Bessie who had passed away in December 1918.) I am so pleased that you liked the photo group so much, the dear old Dad has gone nearly white-haired since it was taken but Miss Rendell and myself have not altered in the least.
Now to the best of my ability I will tell you about that fateful July 31st. Some of the things that happened I have forgotten, but the majority are of course impressed on my memory. You know of course that the 6th Cheshires and 1st Herts were brigaded together, so that by reading what my regiment did you will know what Captain Lee's did.
Our Brigade had to go over last of all in the Division as our objective, called the Langemark Line, so that we had to pass through the first two Brigades on our way. At about 4.15 am we received our order to go over the top, and away we went. The sight which met our eyes I shall never forget, but it was also one which I cannot describe. All went well with us until we reached the half-way line, where we had to rest two hours just behind a ridge, after which we had a rather warm time, but with only two casualties. We had to take Kitcheners Wood which the Germans were shelling heavily but we got through all right. A little further on we came to the River Steenbech which we crossed with only two more casualties although we were swept with heavy machine gun fire from the right flank. From that point we had to advance in open order, the Black Watch on the left, Herts in the centre, Cheshires on the right, and as I was in charge of the extreme right section in our regiment, I was in touch with the Cheshires all the way afterwards. Our next job was to capture the village of St Julien, the Herts and the Cheshires taking a half each, and it is needless to say that we got it. But now our real task was in front of us, the taking of the Langemark Line, and we saw that it was a stiff task for we had to advance over 500 yards of completely flat open country and the trench was in the form of a semi-circle, simply packed with Germans. We were immediately subjected to severe machine gun and rifle fire, and to make matters worse our own barrage was falling all amongst us and not touching the Germans. But even then all might have been well if one single British aeroplane had been above us to see what was happening. We all looked in vain though and kept on pegging away.
Hundreds had fallen or were falling, but we managed to get within 50 yards with every officer shot and almost every NCO. It was just before that that I saw your son lying in a shell hole, a shallow one, but strict orders had been issued that we were not to stay and assist wounded men as it would hinder our advance, so I had to go on. When we found we hadn't enough men to continue, we thought that the best thing to do was to get into shell holes and wait for the supports to come up, but on looking behind us to see where they were we could see only Germans - they had got in behind us and cut us off. Just at that point the order every man for himself was passed down the line so we started trying to get back, at first in a group but men were falling so fast that it soon became ones and twos. At one place there were three of us in a small shell hole and we decided to try for one farther back. The other two were killed and I reached the hole alone, almost falling on top of your son who said hello corporal straight away.
I set to work to see what was wrong with him and found he had been hit in the small of the back in the region of the right kidney. The wound had stopped bleeding but I could see he was badly hit internally and by the shape of the wound it was shrapnel. He told me he felt no pain whatsoever but on looking into his face I saw he was too far gone to feel anything so I cut his equipment off and removed a khaki covered steel plate which the shrapnel had penetrated, and then made a pillow for his head out of his respirator so that he could lie as comfortable as possible. Then I saw that he had begun to write a letter to his mother, it was on the back of a torn photograph of German trenches taken by one of our aeroplane observers. He finished the letter but the latter half was unintelligible and I only glanced at it as I put it in my pocket. I cannot remember any actual sentences but I know it was to the effect that he was thinking you at the time, that he had done his bit and you were to have the M.C. he had won at Ypres a month before. About his wife and child I saw nothing. I did not know he was married until I received your letter in Germany, but he may well have put a message for them in the part I could not read through. If I had had the time I might have been able to decipher it. He told me to take the little gold ring off his little finger (I remember it was so tiny I would not go on me, so I put it in my purse and if I remember rightly it had the date 1915 on the inside). Next he asked me for a drink and when he had had that he told me to take his revolver, field glasses and an electric torch, and also a couple of correspondence books which were in his pack, and send them all with the ring and his letter to you. He then asked me if we had taken the final objective as it seemed to be so much quieter, which it was - I told him we were waiting for reinforcements to come up first. More than once he asked me for a drink, and repeatedly said he felt no pain. I don't think he did but he was so brave I could have cried over him. While I was with him the Germans singled us out, and one big shell burst within a foot of my head, but by a miracle we both escaped. Bullets flew all round us but we were unhurt by them, and my belief to his day is that your son was hit by one of our own shells. So many were the Germans couldn,t hit us.
After I had been about a quarter of an hour with him I looked down to see that he had gone and so peacefully that I had not noticed it. After that I tried the almost impossible task of getting back and, getting into one hole after another, I at last found a comrade in the shape of a lance corporal of the Cheshires. We stayed together shooting Germans all around us until four of them got quite close without our noticing them. We immediately jumped out after them to make a fight for it and actually reached them before we saw there were scores of Germans lying in shell holes all around us. The Cheshire with me took the rifle out of my hands almost before I knew it and I remember I laughed and he and I shook hands. The Germans (they were Saxons) were jolly decent and only took your son's revolver from me, but everything else I had to leave behind except the ring and letter in my pocket. I saw a few more men captured round about but you will be pleased to know that none of us put our hands up.
We were escorted through no man's land and along a trench to some headquarters. Here an officer who spoke excellent English was joking with us so, being afraid everything would be taken off me, I asked his advice with regard to the letter and the ring. He was full of sympathy and said he would see that you got them within three weeks if I left them with him. I could see that he was speaking the truth so I gave them to him, writing a letter to you myself to go with them. Your address I memorised and I was not likely to forget it. We had to be moved quickly after that as our gunners began knocking the whole place to pieces with high explosives and my belief is that he must have been killed because I know he meant to keep his word, that is probably the reason why the ring and letter did not reach you.
These are all the facts I can at present think of Mrs Lee of what happened on 31st July 1917, and I tender you my deepest sympathy on losing such a brave tender son and to Mrs Jack Lee on losing a husband who was loved so much by his men. All that I have written is true, not just to show you what I did, but to tell you everything that happened as it happened, for your son's men went through I as well as myself. A man of the 6th Cheshire whose name I have forgotten but who lives near you was captured on the same day as myself, and he told me all about Captain Lee, saying how he was well loved by his men and considered the best officer in the battalion.
Any questions you like to ask I shall be only too pleased to answer to the best of my ability, and please do not think you are causing me any trouble. I am sorry I cannot give you a definite date just now for my visit to Wilmslow as I am awaiting orders for my discharge but be assured I shall manage to see you during February. With sincere regards from Miss Rendell and myself,
I remain, Yours sincerely,
F.G.Burch 1st Herts Regiment
PS I may mention that only one sergeant, 2 corporals and 56 men out of my regiment and only one corporal and myself with the men were captured. Everyone else (including officers) were killed.
Pte. James William John Lee
British Army 13th Btn. Essex Regiment
from:Canning Town, Essex
(d.4th September 1916)
James Lee was born in Mile End to parents James William Lee and Bridget Lee (nee Sheekham) and lived in Ernest Road and Hermit Road, Canning Town, Essex. James was killed during a bombing raid with 13th Essex.
Pte. John Douglas Lee MM.
British Army 2nd Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
from:33 Berwick Street, Liverpool
Pte. John A. Lee
New Zealand Expeditionary Force 9th (Hawkes Bay) Company 1st Wellington Battalion
L/Bdr. John Howard Lee
British Army 69th Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery
from:39 Hartington Street, Gateshead, Co Durham
(d.15th Sep 1918)
John Lee was the son of John and Ann Lee (nee Waton) of 39 Hartington Street, Gateshead, Co Durham, England, John was the second of their eight children.
He enlisted in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in November 1915 at the age of 22 years 8 months and at that time, he was single and working as an Insurance Agent. He was 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighed 119 pounds.
Gnr. John Thomas Lee
British Army 22nd Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery
from:Bolsover, Derbyshire
(d.21st September 1918)
John Lee was aged 22. Born and resident in Bolsover he enlisted at Mansfield. Son of John and Eliza Lee of Bolsover, Derbyshire, he is buried in Terlincthun British Cemetery at Wimille in France.
Pte. John Lee
British Army 2nd Btn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment
from:Birmingham
(d.13th Sep 1916)
John Lee was wounded during the Battle of Ginchy as part of the Somme Offensive. He died in Le Treport Military Hospital of his wounds and is buried in Mont Huon Military Cemetery.
Pte, John Herbert Lee
British Army 2nd Btn. 2 Pl. Lincolnshire Regiment
from:Spofforth, Yorkshire
Pte John M Lee
British Army 5th Btn Lancashire Fusiliers
from:Bury
Pte. Joseph Collis Lee
British Army 18th Btn. Lancashire Fusiliers
from:Fleckney, Leicestershire
(d.15th Apr 1917)
Private Joseph Collis Lee was killed on 15 April 1917 while serving with the 18th Battalion the Lancashire Fusiliers. He was born in Nottingham, raised in Fleckney, Leicestershire and enrolled in Market Harborough, Leicestershire.
Pte. Kenneth Lee
British Army 58th Coy. Machine Gun Corps
(d.30th May 1918)
Kenneth Lee was a dairyman at Weston, Staffordshire prior to the war and hailed from Derby. I'm researching the war memorial and would welcome any info regarding Kenneth
private Leslie Edward "Leggo" Lee
Australian Imperial Forces 10th Australian Machine Gun Coy
Cpl. Leslie Lee
British Army 2nd Btn. Suffolk Regiment
from:Great Easter
(d.26th Nov 1918)
Leslie Lee died of wounds in St Georges Hospital, London on 26th November 1918. He is buried at Good Easter Cemetery in Essex. We have been unable to find out where and when he was wounded.
Pte. Patrick Lee
British Army Machine Gun Corps
from:Coundon
Rflmn. Percy Lee
British Army 2nd Btn. Rifle Brigade
from:Lewisham
(d.23rd October 1916)
Sjt Mjr. S. A. J. Lee
British Army 70th Field Ambulance Royal Army Medical Corps
(d.7th Jun 1917)
Bmdr. Sidney George Lee
British Army 6th Div. Ammunition Col. Royal Field Artillery
from:Bristol
(d.1st Dec 1915)
Sidney Lee was my great uncle, the brother of my paternal grandfather. He was one of four brothers who served and one of three that fell. Brother Harold fell at the Battle for Loos and Leslie was wounded in France and died and is buried at Bristol. My grandfather had emigrated to Canada in 1913 and served as an engineer in the Canadian expeditionary force 7th Brigade 3rd Division. He was awarded the MM for action during the Battle for Vimy Ridge 9th of April 1917 and the bar to the MM for action 8th of August 1918 at the Battle of Amiens during the last 100 days.
Sgt. Stephen Lee
British Army 13th Btn. Rifle Brigade
from:Hucknall, Notts
(d.28th April 1917)
Stephen Lee served with the 13th Btn. Rifle Brigade.
Pte. T. Lee
British Army 6th Btn. Royal Scots Fusiliers
(d.10th July 1916)
Private Lee was aged 45 when he died at No 16 Stationary Hospital, Le Treport, France on 10th July 1916. He was the son of Edward and Maria Lee. Private Lee is buried in Le Treport Military Cemetery, Plot 2, Row L, Grave 4.
Thomas Lee
British Army West Yorkshire
Thomas Lee was my maternal grandfather who I believe was gassed, and as a consequence, died soon after the war. My mother's birth certificate (January 1915) shows his regiment as the West Yorks and his service number as 11247. My mother has a small photograph of him in uniform.
Thomas Lee
British Army West Yorkshire Regt
This is a postcard I have from my mother of my paternal grandfather, Thomas Lee.
Thomas Lee was my maternal grandfather who I believe was gassed and as a consequence died soon after the war. My mother's birth certificate (January 1915) shows his regiment as the West Yorks and his number as 112 47. Apparently my paternal grandmother died soon after giving birth to my mother (Jane Louvain Lee) 11th Dec 1914 - named for Louvain (Leuven) in Belgium, I assume owing to the German atrocity there in August 1914. Coincidently, my former mother-in-law, born in 1914, also had that middle name. Thomas Lee, a miner, died soon after, I believe due to the effects of gas poisoning. The address on the card is that of my mother's grandparents, with whom she lived. The date on the postcard looks like June 17th 1917.At the moment I'm still trying to track down the date of Thomas' marriage to Jane Ann Murray so I can get the marriage certificate with the info on that of ages which could lead me to birth dates, etc. Jane Ann Lee (nee Murray) died about March 1915, but I don't yet know the dates of Thomas Lee's death, but my mother told me in the past it was soon after he returned to the mines after the war.
Sgt. Thomas James Lee
British Army 10th (1st Rhondda )Btn. Welsh Regiment
from:Wales
(d.16th March 1916)
Thomas Lee of the 1st Rhondda Btn. Welsh Regiment dies of wounds.
Pte. Tom Clement Lee
Australian Army 13th Field Ambulance
Pte Tom Lee
British Army 8th Battalion Cheshire Regiment
from:Tarvin, Cheshire
(d.10th August 1915)
Page 17 of 42
Can you help us to add to our records?
The names and stories on this website have been submitted by their relatives and friends. If your relations are not listed please add their names so that others can read about them
Did your relative live through the Great War? Do you have any photos, newspaper clippings, postcards or letters from that period? Have you researched the names on your local or war memorial?
If so please let us know.
Do you know the location of a Great War "Roll of Honour?"We are very keen to track down these often forgotten documents and obtain photographs and transcriptions of the names recorded so that they will be available for all to remember.
Help us to build a database of information on those who served both at home and abroad so that future generations may learn of their sacrifice.
Celebrate your own Family History
Celebrate by honouring members of your family who served in the Great War both in the forces and at home. We love to hear about the soldiers, but also remember the many who served in support roles, nurses, doctors, land army, muntions workers etc.
Please use our Family History resources to find out more about your relatives. Then please send in a short article, with a photo if possible, so that they can be remembered on these pages.
The free section of The Wartime Memories Project is run by volunteers.
This website is paid for out of our own pockets, library subscriptions and from donations made by visitors. The popularity of the site means that it is far exceeding available resources and we currently have a huge backlog of submissions.
If you are enjoying the site, please consider making a donation, however small to help with the costs of keeping the site running.
Hosted by:
The Wartime Memories Project Website
is archived for preservation by the British Library
Copyright MCMXCIX - MMXXV
- All Rights Reserved -We do not permit the use of any content from this website for the training of LLMs or for use in Generative AI, it also may not be scraped for the purpose of creating other websites, books, magazines or any other forms of media.
