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Edgar Lee
| Lt Cdr Edgar Lee DSO (deceased) Joined the Royal Navy in May 1940, two days before his nineteenth birthday and after initial training began a flying course in Trinidad in September 1940. He qualified as Observer in April 1941 and was commissioned as Midshipman (A) RNVR. Promoted to Sub-Lieutenant (A) RNVR at the age of 20 in May 1941 and appointed to 825 Squadron in HMS Ark Royal in June 1941, flying operationally with 825 Squadron in Swordfish TBR until the Ark Royal was sunk in November 1941. Edgar returned to England and the squadron reformed at Lee-on-Solent - again in Swordfish in late December 1941, still under the command of Lt Commander E Esmonde DSO, RM. He took part in the Channel attack on the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau on 12th February 1942. All the aircraft were shot down, with only five survivors; Edgar and his pilot were rescued from a dingy by MTB. He joined the new 825 Squadron in March 1942 and flew in that squadron until July 1942, then sent for re-posting to RNAS St Merryn on Flying Control duties. At the end of February 1943, Edgar was seconded to 106 Squadron RAF Bomber Command, flying in Lancaster, under the command of Wing Commander Guy Gibson, DSO DFC RAF. Six Naval Observers were seconded to 5 Group Bomber Command, three were lost and three returned to naval duties at the end of July 1943. Edgar was promoted to Lieutnant (A) RNVR in November 1943. Instructing in Canada, August 1943 to November 1944 and returned to England to qualify as a Signals Officer in August 1945. From Staff Signals Officer to Rear Admiral reserve Aircraft from September 1945 until demob in July 1947. Edgar rejoined the reserve in 1956 and was promoted to Lt Cdr RNR in November 1961 serving in most NATO and National exercises until 1981 and as Acting Commander RNR in exercises from 1969 until retirement at 60 in 1981. Sadly Lieutenant-Commander Edgar Lee died on October 29th, 2009, aged 88. Edgar Lee was the last surviving member of those gallant aircrew of 825 Squadron Fleet Air Arm that in February 1942 made the attack in Swordfish torpedo bombers on the German battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau accompanied by the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen. |
Items Signed by Lt Cdr Edgar Lee DSO (deceased) |
  | Channel Dash Heroes by Philip West. Price : £95.00 | The Straits of Dover, 12th February 1942. Sub Lieutenant Edgar Lee helps his badly wounded pilot, Sub Lieutenant Brian Rose from the cockpit of their downed Swordfish, before it sinks into the depths of the English Channel following their brave atta...... | |
| | Channel Dash Heroes by Philip West. (AP) Price : £170.00 | The Straits of Dover, 12th February 1942. Sub Lieutenant Edgar Lee helps his badly wounded pilot, Sub Lieutenant Brian Rose from the cockpit of their downed Swordfish, before it sinks into the depths of the English Channel following their brave atta...... | |
| | Channel Dash Heroes by Philip West. (Y) Price : £75.00 | The Straits of Dover, 12th February 1942. Sub Lieutenant Edgar Lee helps his badly wounded pilot, Sub Lieutenant Brian Rose from the cockpit of their downed Swordfish, before it sinks into the depths of the English Channel following their brave att...... | |
  | Operation Judgement by Philip West. (AP) Price : £170.00 | The attack on Taranto was the first major victory for naval air power in the world and blueprint for the strike on Pearl Harbor. The Fleet Air Arm played an active part in the fight against the Axis forces in the Mediterranean. Their greatest achiev...... | |
  | Operation Cerberus - The Channel Dash by Philip West. (AP) Price : £155.00 | The Channel Dash (officially known as Operation Cerberus) was one of three operations during the Second World War for which the Swordfish was to become the most famous. Heavily outgunned in the Straits of Dover on this day in February 1942 by the Ge...... |
Packs with at least one item featuring the signature of Lt Cdr Edgar Lee DSO (deceased) |
| Squadrons for : Lt Cdr Edgar Lee DSO (deceased) | ||
| A list of all squadrons known to have been served with by Lt Cdr Edgar Lee DSO (deceased). A profile page is available by clicking the squadron name. | ||
| Squadron | Info | |
No.106 Sqn RAF | ||
Pro libertate - For freedom
No.106 Sqn RAF
Crews of the swordfish which attacked the Bismarck on May 24th, 1941 flown from HMS Victorious
5A : Lt.Cdr.(A) Eugene Kingsmill Esmonde, RN (P), Lt. Colin Croft Ennever, RN (O), PO(A) Stanley Edgar Parker, RN Fx.76360 (TAG)
5B : Lt. Neal Gordon MacLean, RNVR (P), T/S-Lt.(A) Leslie Bailey, RNVR (O), NA Donald Arthur Bunce, RN Sfx.631 (TAG)
5C : Lt.(A) John Chute Thompson, RN (P), A/S-Lt. Robert Laurens Parkinson, RN (O), PO(A) Ambrose Lawrence Johnson, RN D/Jx.146558 (TAG)
5F : Lt. Philip David Gick, RN (P) [DSC 16.9.41], S-Lt.(A) Valentine Kay Norfolk, RN (O), PO(A) Leslie Daniel Sayer, RN Fx.76577 (TAG)
5G : Lt.(A) William Francis Cuthbert Garthwaite, RNVR (P), S-Lt.(A) William Anthony Gillingham, RNVR (O), LA Henry Thomas Albert Wheeler, RN Fx.189404 (TAG)
5H (V4337) : S-Lt.(A) Patrick Bernard Jackson, RN (P), A/S-Lt. David Anthony Berrill, RN (O), LA F. G. Sparkes (TAG)
5K : Lt.(A) Henry Charles Michell Pollard, RN (P), S-Lt.(A) David Musk Beattie, RNVR (O), LA Percy William Clitheroe, DSM, RN P/Jx.135706 (TAG)
5L : S-Lt.(A) Robert Graham Lawson, RNVR (P), A/S-Lt. Frank Leonard Robinson, RNVR (O), LA Iowerth Llewelyn Owen (TAG)
5M : S-Lt.(A) Alexander James Houston, RNVR (P), S-Lt.(A) John Robert Geater, RNVR (O), PO(A) William Johnson Clinton, RN (TAG)
| Aircraft for : Lt Cdr Edgar Lee DSO (deceased) | ||
| A list of all aircraft associated with Lt Cdr Edgar Lee DSO (deceased). A profile page including a list of all art prints for the aircraft is available by clicking the aircraft name. | ||
| Squadron | Info | |
Swordfish | ||
| We have prints featuring Swordfish aircraft. |
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Contact Details |
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