Remembered Today:

Corporal Herbert LEE DCM, 246th Brigade Royal Field Artillery who died on 3rd September 1916, Etaples Military Cemetery

CWGC Information

LEE, HERBERT

Rank: Corporal

Service No: 1039

Date of Death: 03/09/1916

Age: 21

Regiment/Service: Royal Field Artillery "A" Bty. 246th Bde.

Awards: D C M

Grave Reference X. B. 6.

Cemetery ETAPLES MILITARY CEMETERY

Additional Information:

Son of Fanny Lee, of 13, College Mount, Otley Rd., Bradford.

Herbert Lee enlisted into the Territorial Force 2nd (West Riding) Battery of the 1st West Riding Brigade on the 3rd June 1912 aged 17 years and 6 months. His trade is listed as a Clerk at J. Pickles & Son of Thornbury. The 2nd (West Riding) Battery was based at Bramley, and his medical examination details his service was to be with the 4th (West Riding) Battery, which was based at Valley Parade, Bradford.

His first annual camp was at Salisbury in August 1912 and he was promoted to Bombardier (1 tape) just before he attended camp in 1913. He served as a Territorial for 2 years and 63 days before being mobilised 5th August 1914.

The 1st West Riding Battery were part of the Divisional Artillery of West Riding Division - (would become 49th Division). The Division moved to France in April 1915, Herbert's record details he embarked at Southampton 14th April 1915, disembarking at Le Havre 15th April 1915.

The Long Long Trail for Division outlines;

1914

The units of the Division had just departed for annual summer camp when emergency orders recalled them to the home base. All units were mobilised for full time war service on 5 August 1914 and moved to concentrate in the South Yorkshire / Lincolnshire area by mid August 1914.

1915

On 31 March the Division was warned that it would go on overseas service and entrainment began on 12 April. Divisional infantry went via Folkestone-Boulogne while all other units went from Southampton to Le Havre. By 19 April the Division had concentrated in the area of Estaires - Merville - Neuf Berquin. The Division then remained in France and Flanders and took part in the following engagements:

The Battle of Aubers Ridge (9 May)

The defence against the first Phosgene attack (19 December)

Herbert was promoted in the field to Corporal 17th August 1915. During 1915 he earned the Distinguished Conduct Medal, it's award being announced in the London Gazette 11th January 1916.

Gazette Issue 29438 published on the 11 January 1916

604 SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 14 JANUARY, 1916.

AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL

1039 Corporal H. Lee, 4th (West Riding) Battery, Royal Field Artillery, T.F.

2691 Gazette Issue 29503 published on the 10 March 1916

SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 11 MAR, 1916.

1039 Corporal H. Lee, 4th (West Riding) Battery, Royal Field Artillery, T.F.

For conspicuous gallantry and good work in charge of Signallers. On two occasions

the Infantry in the front trench have been able to use the battery telephone lines when

their own had all been cut.

The Long Long Trail for Division outlines for 1916:

1916

The Battle of Albert

The Battle of Bazentin Ridge

The Battle of Pozieres Ridge

The 49th Division were part of X Corps and in Reserve for the battle of Albert, the Corps being Gough's Reserve Army for the subsequent two Battles.

A telegram on the 3rd September from the OC 11 General Hospital Camiers (just North of Etaples) reports Herbert as a C2 casualty with gun shot wounds to his left leg and dangerously ill with a fractured femur. He died of wounds the same day and buried in the Etaples Military Cemetery.

On the 25th March his mother received a letter from OIC RFA / RHA records at Woolwich together with Herbert's DCM, Mrs Lee acknowledging by letter she received it at 2 pm. The following day another letter from records asks if Herbert's mother would like to be presented with the medal publically, Mrs Lee declining saying she is not in good health and "could do without the commotion". In January 1917 she was given a gratuity of £20 in recognition of her sons award of the DCM.

Herbert was not Mrs Lee's only loss. Another son, George, was killed a year later, 9th September 1917, serving with 1st Royal Marine Battalion Royal Marine Light Infantry part of the Royal Naval Division.

Corporal Lee qualified for the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. His medals survived:

http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/19941/lot/122/