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Nov 27, 1888
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Born in Durham
City, England to George and Jane “Jennie” Lee
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Mar 3, 1911
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Embarked the SS
Virginian in Liverpool
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Mar 11, 1911
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Disembarked in
Halifax, Nova Scotia
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Aug 30, 1915
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Attested into the
70th Battalion in London, Ontario
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Number 123028
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Next of kin given
as Mrs. Jennie Lee, mother, 47 North Bailey Rd., Durham City, England
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Previous
occupation given as Painter
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Previous military
experience given as 4 years in the Durham Light Infantry
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Religion given as
Church of England
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Assigned to
“D” Company
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Sep 14, 1915
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Appointed to the
provisional rank of Corporal
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Nov 8, 1915
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Appointed to the
provisional rank of Sergeant
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Apr 26, 1916
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Embarked the SS
Lapland in Halifax, Nova Scotia
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May 5, 1916
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Disembarked in
Liverpool, England and proceeded to Shorncliffe
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May 18, 1916
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Granted 14 days
leave
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Jul 6, 1916
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Transferred to the
39th Reserve Battalion at West Sandling
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Dec 9, 1916
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While in command
of the battalion’s Quarter Guard, a prisoner in his charge
escaped custody from the guard room cells.
Acting Sergeant Lee was placed under arrest
pending trial by District Court Martial
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Dec 22, 1916
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Sentenced to 56
days detention and reduction in rank to Private by District Court
Martial for negligently allowing a prisoner in his charge, Private David Ollen,
to escape custody
The
sentence of detention was reduced on review to 28 days.
In view of the following entries, it would
appear that the 28 day sentence was considered to have begun the date
of his arrest.
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Jan 4, 1917
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Upon release from
detention he was transferred to the newly formed 6th
Reserve Battalion in West. Shortly
after the formation of the battalion, it moved to Seaford to continue
training men for the front
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Jan 5, 1917
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Appointed to the
rank of Acting Corporal
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Mar 17, 1917
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Appointed to the
rank of Acting Sergeant
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Nov 13, 1917
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Reverted to the
rank of Private in order to proceed to the front
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Nov 14, 1917
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Transferred to the
21st Battalion
Arrived at the No.
2 CIBD (Canadian Infantry Base Depot) in Etaples, France as part of a
draft of 12 reinforcements from England and TOS (Taken On Strength) the
21st Battalion
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Nov 17, 1917
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After leaving the
base depot, he joined the CC Rein C (Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp)
in Calonne Ricouart
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Nov 20, 1917
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Private David
Ollen, the prisoner that escaped from custody that was the cause of
Robert Lee’s Court Martial, joined the 21st
Battalion at the front
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Nov 24, 1917
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After leaving the
reinforcement camp, Private Lee joined the 21st
Battalion in the support trenches near Passchendaele and assigned to
“D” Company
A firsthand
account states that when Private Lee joined the battalion at the front,
he met up with Private Ollen and an altercation took place.
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Dec 1, 1917
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Attached to the 182nd
Company Royal Engineers for duty
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Dec 21, 1917
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Rejoined the
battalion from duty with the engineers
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Mar 15, 1918
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Appointed to the
rank of Lance Corporal to replace L/Cpl Johnson 59515, who had been
promoted
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Aug 8, 1918
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During the 21st
Battalion’s liberation of the town of Marcelcave, France,
L/Cpl Lee received shrapnel wounds to his right shoulder and chest and
was evacuated to the nearby field ambulance for first aid. He was transferred the
same day to the No. 47 CCS (Casualty Clearing Station) for further
treatment
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Aug 9, 1918
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Boarded the No. 5
Ambulance Train for evacuation to hospital
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Aug 10, 1918
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Admitted to the
No. 6 General Hospital in Rouen, France
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Aug 23, 1918
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Reported to be
seriously ill
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Sep 10, 1918
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Reported to be
dangerously ill
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Sep 24, 1918
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L/Cpl Lee died of
his wounds while in the No. 6 General Hospital and was buried in the
nearby St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, France
Following the war
the British War Medal, Victory Medal, Plaque (Dead Man’s
Penny), Scroll and Memorial Cross were sent to his mother, Mrs. Jane
Lee, 47 North Bailey Rd., Durham, England
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