The Airmen's Stories - F/O K N T Lee

Kenneth Norman Thomson Lee was born in Birmingham on 23rd June 1915 and educated at the city's King Edward VI High School. Lee joined the RAFVR on 25th January 1937. He went to 11 E&RFTS Perth for a two months initial flying course, after which he returned to his job, a trainee technician in a paint factory, flying at weekends at 9 E&RFTS Ansty.

In January 1939 Lee was released by his employer to spend six months with the regular RAF.

He joined 111 Squadron at Northolt and in late March he was commissioned and went to 43 Squadron at Tangmere. Lee did not return to his job and on 4th September 1939 he joined 501 Squadron at Filton.

Above: 501 Squadron

Standing: F/O S Witorzenc, F/Lt. GE Stoney, Sgt. A Glowacki

In chairs: Sgt. P Farnes, P/O K Lee, P/O JA Gibson

On ground: P/O RC Dafforn, P/O H Adams

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The squadron flew to France on 10th May 1940 and on this day Lee claimed a Me110 destroyed. On the 12th he destroyed a Do17 and on the 13th a Me110. The squadron was withdrawn from France on 18th June and re-assembled at Croydon on the 21st.

Often he would be the first to spot the enemy, and his comrades gave him the nickname 'Hawkeye', which remained with him for the rest of his life.

Lee claimed a He111 destroyed on 27th May and a Do17 on 6th June. Four days later, attacking some He111's, his Hurricane was probably hit by return fire and exploded. He took to his parachute and landed at Le Mans. In the scramble to be evacuated, Lee's right hand was injured and he did not fly for several weeks.

Lee damaged a Ju87 on 29th July and claimed another destroyed on 12th August.

He was shot down on the 18th by Oberleumant Schopfel of JG26 over Canterbury, in Hurricane P3059. Lee baled out, with a bullet wound in the leg, and landed in a cornfield near Whitstable and was taken to the local golf club to wait for an ambulance.

Heavily bloodstained, Lee stood at the bar, where he overheard a man complaining 'The machine-gunning made me miss my putt. And who's that chap at the bar? Bad show, all that blood - I don't believe he's even a member'.

He rejoined the squadron in October and was awarded the DFC (gazetted 22nd october 1940).

On 29th November Lee was posted to the Special Duties Flight at Stormy Down and later went to 52 OTU Crosby-on-Eden as a Flight Commander.

In late 1941 he was posted to Africa, and for six months ferried fighters from the Gold Coast (now Ghana) to Egypt before joining 260 Squadron as a flight commander flying Kittyhawks.

He moved to 260 Squadron on 18th September 1942 and destroyed a Mc 202 on 10th November. He took command of 123 Squadron at Abadan, Persia in March 1943. The squadron went to the Western Desert in May.

On 27th July 1943 Lee was shot down and captured on a dawn raid on Crete.

Lee was taken to Germany and arrived in a cattle wagon at Stalag Luft III. Learning of the tunnels being dug prior to the 'Great Escape', he joined the men dispersing the excavated sand from bags suspended inside their trouser legs.

On the night of 28th January 1945 the prison camp was evacuated. In deep snow and freezing temperatures, the 'Long March' westwards was a great ordeal; many men died of exhaustion before reaching overcrowded camps in the west.

Lee eventually arrived back in England in early May.

Lee decided to leave the RAF and took a job as a branch manager with the United Africa Company in Tanganyika.

Ten years later he travelled to Dublin to attend a wedding and was persuaded to stay on. He established a wholesale plumbing business, which was very successful.

In 1977 Lee retired to Spain, where he played bridge every day while continuing with consultancy work. He went to live near his daughter in Sheffield in 1995.

Lee died on 15th January 2008.