Capt. K.W. Lee, MC

[archie777]

Military Cross (MC) (Geo.V);

1914 Star Lieut. K.W. Lee R.F.A.;
BWM; AVM (Brit.) Capt. K.W. Lee

 

MC LONDON GAZETTE 18 FEBRUARY 1915
Ian Uys records:

 

“One of the Artillery officers who was in action on the 15th July 1916 was Capt. Kenneth Willougby Lee, MC, 28. Lee was born in October 1886 and educated at Wellington College and Woolwich.

 

He was commissioned in 1906, then went to South Africa with the 96th Battery where he was employed in survey work in the Transvaal.

 

In October 1912 Lee married Alfreda Botha, the step-daughter of Christian Botha MLA, of Bloemfontein and they had a daughter, Sylvia.

 

He re-joined his Battery and went to India, then exchanged into the 35th Brigade and returned to England in 1913. Lee took part in the 1st Battle of Ypres in October 1914 with the 12th Battery RFA. 

 

After four days in action he galloped a gun into the open within 1 000 yards of the enemy and fired 70 shells into a strong point, thereby destroying it.

 

Three German batteries fired on him but he managed to get the gun away without losing a man or a horse. For this he was awarded the Military Cross and promoted to Captain.

 

Captain Lee took no part in the battles of Loos and Neuve Chapelle and in May 1915 was wounded at Festurbert and sent home on sick leave. When he returned to the Front, he was given command of “A” Bty, 95th Bde. RFA.

 

He was badly wounded (again) during the attack on 15 September 1916.” He was evacuated to Staples hospital where he died of tetanus infection on 27 September 1916.