Capt
Jack Lee
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 10/07/1891 |
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Place of birth: Salford, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom |
Army information
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Country: England, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Captain |
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Service number: / |
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Enlistment date: 1914 |
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Units: — Cheshire Regiment, 1/6th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 31/07/1917 |
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Place of death: Wine House, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 26 |
Memorial
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Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial Panel: 19 G |
Distinctions and medals 3
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British War Medal Medal |
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Military Cross Medal — 05/07/1917 |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 1
| #1 | Place of birth |
My story
Captain Jack Lee served in the 1st/6th Battalion Cheshire Regiment, part of the 118th Brigade of the 39th Division. He was very popular among his men, according to a letter sent to his mother. He was awarded the Military Cross for his bravery during a raid in the beginning of July. This raid was a preliminary action on the Battle of Pilckem Ridge, the first stage of the Third Battle of Ypres, in which the 6th participated.
The Battle of Pilckem Ridge started with heavy rainfall. During the night of July 30 and July 31, the 118th Brigade took up positions in the front line near the hamlet of Wieltje. Their objective was the village of St. Julien. The 116th and 117th Brigades were preceding them in the attack and after they took their objective line, the 118th pushed on through to the village of St. Julien, with the Cheshires on the right of the Brigade. After reaching their objectives with relative ease, patrols of the Chesires pushed onwards and captured von Tirpitz Farm. On the right of the Cheshires the men of the 164th Brigade, of the 55th Division, were held up and a large gap occurred on the right. With the right flank of the brigade up in the air the Germans launched fierce counterattacks and tried to cut off the Cheshires, causing considerable casualties. The right of the Chesires was thrown back and heavy hand to hand fighting erupted. Consequently the 118th had to withdraw behind the Steenbeek, but the Cheshires were cut off by the German troops. The remainder of the Cheshires together with a company eventually fell back and occupied a line at Canvas Trench and Canteen Trench. The Chesires formed a strongpoint just east of Wine House. However the Germans kept up the counterattack and at 6.30 a.m. the guns of the British artillery were shooting short, shelling their own lines. The friendly fire caused several casualties and made the Brigade retire still further,.
According to a letter sent to the mother of Captain Jack Lee, several Battalions from different regiments were intermingled. When they were retreating. Corporal Burch, who wrote the letter, found himself in a shell hole with the mortally wounded captain. Corporal Burch stayed with Captain Lee until his death. According to Corporal Burch, who was a prisoner of war for the rest of the war, the captain was hit by British shrapnel, killed by friendly fire. Then it’s highly possible Captain Jack Lee was killed in action near Wine House. His is body was never found. His name is on the Menin Gate Memorial.
The Battle of Pilckem Ridge started with heavy rainfall. During the night of July 30 and July 31, the 118th Brigade took up positions in the front line near the hamlet of Wieltje. Their objective was the village of St. Julien. The 116th and 117th Brigades were preceding them in the attack and after they took their objective line, the 118th pushed on through to the village of St. Julien, with the Cheshires on the right of the Brigade. After reaching their objectives with relative ease, patrols of the Chesires pushed onwards and captured von Tirpitz Farm. On the right of the Cheshires the men of the 164th Brigade, of the 55th Division, were held up and a large gap occurred on the right. With the right flank of the brigade up in the air the Germans launched fierce counterattacks and tried to cut off the Cheshires, causing considerable casualties. The right of the Chesires was thrown back and heavy hand to hand fighting erupted. Consequently the 118th had to withdraw behind the Steenbeek, but the Cheshires were cut off by the German troops. The remainder of the Cheshires together with a company eventually fell back and occupied a line at Canvas Trench and Canteen Trench. The Chesires formed a strongpoint just east of Wine House. However the Germans kept up the counterattack and at 6.30 a.m. the guns of the British artillery were shooting short, shelling their own lines. The friendly fire caused several casualties and made the Brigade retire still further,.
According to a letter sent to the mother of Captain Jack Lee, several Battalions from different regiments were intermingled. When they were retreating. Corporal Burch, who wrote the letter, found himself in a shell hole with the mortally wounded captain. Corporal Burch stayed with Captain Lee until his death. According to Corporal Burch, who was a prisoner of war for the rest of the war, the captain was hit by British shrapnel, killed by friendly fire. Then it’s highly possible Captain Jack Lee was killed in action near Wine House. His is body was never found. His name is on the Menin Gate Memorial.
Sources 6
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"The History of the Cheshire Regiment in the Great War", Col. Arthur Crookenden, Anthony Rowe Ltd., s.d., pg. 111-3. Sources used |
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"The Third Ypres Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account", McCarthy C., London, Arms & Armour Press, 1995, pg. 26-7. Sources used |
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Ancestry http://home.ancestry.co.uk/ Further reference |
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/ Sources used |
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The Long, Long Trail http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/ Sources used |
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War Diary Cheshire Regiment 1st/6th Bn. http://www.nmarchive.com/ Further reference |