Audley Andrew Dowell Lee (Dowell-Lee) was born in April 1895 at Deytheur in Montgomeryshire. He was the second of three sons with brothers Reginald and Vernon. Their father was William BD Lee, who was schoolmaster at Deytheur Grammar School. The school had been founded in around 1690 as an Endowed Grammar and boarding school; it closed in 1970 – the old school house is nearby to Penrhos Church at Deytheur. They lived at the school. His early education was at Deytheur, and during the period of 1908-1914, at Oundle School in Northamptonshire; he was in New House. He was a contemporary of Lieutenant Phillip E Sharples, 9 Bn Yorks. & Lancaster Regiment. After school Audley went up to Lincoln College, Oxford but war had broke out before he could begin his studies. He had been in the OTC at school and possibly at university OTC and he volunteered for officer training. He was commissioned into the Leicestershire Regiment in December 1914 going over to France in November 1915. He was awarded the Military Cross during the Battle of Bazentin Ridge on the Somme in July 1916. The battalion was heavily involved in the fighting and he is mentioned in their War Diary for 16 July at Mametz Wood: he had lead a patrol forward – ‘they endeavoured to find 2nd Lieut. Sargeant’s party but failed’. The ‘party’ comprised of 20 men, of which all were lost (2/Lt Arthur Percival Sargeant CWGC). Audley was promoted captain in October 1916.

Audley was reported wounded and missing since 1 October 1917 during the Battle of Polygon Wood, Third Ypres. The battalion had moved into the front line the previous evening. They held a line of shell holes on the eastward side of the Wood. At 5:27am on the 1^st the enemy put down an intense barrage followed by a counter attack. The full weight of the assault fell on Captain Lee’s A Coy. The attack was repulsed but he was a casualty. The Adjutant of his company wrote to his parents, ‘your son led his company forward and succeeded in beating off two attacks. He was killed bravely leading his men and died instantaneously. It was a brave and fine act which undoubtedly led to a brilliant victory. We feel his loss more than words can express, for he was beloved by all ranks and his memory will live forever in this battalion. It was a glorious end to a brilliant career’. The fighting and the shelling continued throughout the day, eventually quietening down late in the evening. They were unable to recover his body and he is recorded on the Tyne Cot Memorial and has no known grave. He is also commemorated on war memorials at St Oswald’s Church, Penrhos Church, Deytheur, Oundle School and Newport Pagnell. He is also listed on the Record of Men from the parish who served at St John’s Church, Measbrook – also listed is his brother Lieutenant Reginald Dowell-Lee who served with 3 Bn Dorsetshire Regiment and survived the war. They are included as their father was the officiating priest at St John’s.

Captain Audley AD Lee, 9 Bn Leicestershire Regiment. KIA 1 October 1917, Tyne Cot Memorial. (JRD)

Acknowledgements. Oundle School.

References and Sources

END