The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. E H C Kee

Ernest Henry Clarke Kee, from Ballybofey, County Donegal, Ireland was born on 28th May 1917, the son of Thomas and Mary Margretta Kee.

He was educated at Kings Hospital, Dublin and Skerrys College, Londonderry.

Kee joined the RAFVR about June 1938 as an Airman u/t Pilot. Called up on 1st September 1939, Kee completed his training, converted to Hurricanes at 6 OTU, Sutton Bridge and was posted to 253 Squadron at Kirton-in-Lindsey on 8th June 1940.

He crashed at Dunton Green on 15th October, unhurt, after his aircraft was severely damaged in combat.

In February 1941 Kee was posted to 242 Squadron at Martlesham Heath. He was commissioned in June 1941. The squadron was declared non-operational on 1st October in order to prepare for an overseas posting. It sailed in the carrier HMS Argus at the end of the month, arrived in Gibraltar on 5th November and sailed into the Mediterranean on the 7th. The Hurricanes flew off for Malta on the 11th and the pilots remained on the island, flying with 185 and 249 Squadrons.

Kee was killed on 20th April 1944, as an Acting Squadron Leader with 241 Squadron, a reconnaissance unit. When leading a section on a shipping reconnaissance in the coastal area Sibenik – Zadar (in modern Croatia) he went down to strafe two heavily defended schooners in the harbour of Petrcane.

His aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire and crashed on the northern tip of the island of Ugljan. His body was found and buried by partisans. After the war he was reinterred at Belgrade War Cemetery.

He was awarded the DFC (gazetted 21st December 1945), back-dated to the day before his death.

Additional research courtesy of Peter Younie.

All photographs taken by L.Woods, Assistant to the Defence Attaché, Belgrade.