Willie Lee
Born 12 Jan 1914 - Died 14 Nov 1942
- Service number
- NZ416123 AWMM
- WWII 416123 AWMM
- Also known as
- —
- Armed force / branch
- Air Force AWMM
- Last rank
- Pilot Officer (Pilot) AWMM Royal Air Force, No. 61 Operational Training Unit AWMM
- War
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
About
- Title
- —
- Forenames
- Willie AWMM
- Surname
- Lee AWMM
- Ingoa
- —
- Also known as
- —
- Service number
- NZ416123 AWMM
- WWII 416123 AWMM
- Gender
- Male AWMM
- Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
- —
- Religion
- —
Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 12 Jan 1914 AWMM
- Date of birth
- —
- Place of birth
- —
- Birth notes
- —
- Address before enlistment
- —
- Post war occupation
- —
- Next of kin
- Mrs Wong Lee (mother), 386 Karangahape Road, Auckland, New Zealand AWMM
- WW2 Mother: Mrs. Wong See of Auckalnd AWMM
- Relationship status
- Single/WWII AWMM
- Unknown AWMM Single AWMM
Wars and conflicts
- War
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
- Campaign
- —
- Armed force / branch
- Air Force AWMM
- Service number
- NZ416123 AWMM
- WWII 416123 AWMM
- Military service
- Royal Air Force, No. 61 Operational Training Unit (OTU) (Spitfire)Public - Antonio - Researcher - 16 April 2026 - For Your Tomorrow, v.1 p.147: Martyn
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
- —
Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
- —
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
- Branch Trade Proficiency
- —
- Enlistment
- WW2 02 Dec 1940 AWMM Fruit grower's assistant/Civilian AWMM
- Age on enlistment
- —
- Occupation before enlistment
- —
Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- WW2 Royal New Zealand Air Force AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
- —
- Days interned
- —
- Liberation date
- —
- POW liberation details
- —
- Liberation Repatriation
- —
- POW serial number
- —
Medical history
- Medical notes
- Killed on Active Service, Cause of Death AWMM
Last known rank
- Last rank
- Pilot Officer (Pilot) AWMM
Royal Air Force, No. 61 Operational Training Unit AWMM - Last rank
- —
Biographical information
- Pilot Officer Lee was educated at Pui Ching Middle School, Canton. He attended night school and studied mathematics for two years and then attended the Central Military Airforce School at Hangchow where he completed 100 hours flying.
In 1938 he returned to New Zealand and enlisted in 1940. Between his return and joining the airforce he worked for Stanley Chan, a fruit grower in Auckland.
His first base was at the Initial Training Wing at Levin where he went on 9 November 1941 and trained on Harvard aircraft.
Next of kin details compiled from information in the Casualty lists published in the newspapers.
Of Chinese descent.
Attended Pui Ching Middle School, Canton (Source: RNZAF Biographies (R17845612)) AWMM
About death
- Death
- 14 Nov 1942 AWMM
Age 28 AWMM - Date of death
- —
- Age at death
- —
- Place of death
- —
- Cause of death
- Killed on Active Service AWMM
- Death notes
- —
- Cemetery
- Oswestry General Cemetery, Shropshire, England AWMM Sec. T. Grave 10. AWMM
- Cemetery name
- —
- Grave reference
- —
- Obituary
- —
- Memorial name
- —
- Memorial reference
- —
Memorial
- Memorial name
- Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 2 Hall of Memories AWMM
Related objects
Related Serviceperson
Sources
- External links
- Papers Past. Digital New Zealand Newspapers.
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast
Sources Used - Chinese in New Zealand. Dinkum aliens: they also served. Dr Manying Ip
http://web.archive.org/web/20100604070650/http://www.stevenyoung.co.nz/The-Chinese-in-New-Zealand/Other-articles/Dinkum-Aliens.html
Further Reference - Air casualties. Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 124, 21 November 1942, Page 9
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP19421121.2.94&srpos
Further Reference - Commonwealth War Graves Commission record
https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2711705
Sources Used - RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939 - 1945 (Bound Volumes) - Ib - Ly. Archives New Zealand (R17845612)
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R17845612
Sources Used - List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - List of Personnel Killed or Missing in Various Theatres, 1940 - 1945. Archives New Zealand (R17845748)
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R17845748
Sources Used - http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=AS19370821.2.34&srpos=1&e=------Public - Helen - Researcher - 30 May 2015 - newspaper article
- Papers Past. Digital New Zealand Newspapers.
- References
- The New Zealand Herald
New Zealand Herald 5 April 1997 "Forgotten Fighting Forces" - Martyn, E. (1998-2008). For Your Tomorrow (Vols. 1-3). Christchurch, N.Z.: Volplane Press.
- Auckland Museum. Roll of Honour, Auckland Province, 1939 - 1945. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS 93/139.
- RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939 - 1945 (Bound Volumes) - Ib - Ly. Archives New Zealand (R17845612) - Former archives reference: AIR118
- Please note that the 11 volumes of the "RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939-1945" held at Archives NZ (formerly known as AIR118) should be used in conjunction with Errol Martyn's "For Your Tomorrow". FYT reflects detailed examination of all of the AIR118 bios which contain many inaccuracies and omissions.
- List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - List of Personnel Killed or Missing in Various Theatres, 1940 - 1945. [List of Killed - Officers (Canada, Pacific, Europe) - Airmen (Canada, India and Far East)]. Archives New Zealand (R17845748)
- List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - Embarkation Lists, November 1940 - July 1942. Archives New Zealand, Wellington (R17845762).
- The New Zealand Herald
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