Joseph Goode Lee
Silk Ribbon Weaver (C. 1901) Draper's Assistant (C. 1911, Army Records 1915)
- Family History
- Military history
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Joseph Goode Lee was the son of Joseph Goode Lee and Sarah Ann Moss who married at Leek, Staffordshire in 1881. Their six children were: Francis Elizabeth (b.1881), William Henry (b.1884), Joseph Goode (b.1886), Edwin Exavier (b.1889), Sidney (b.18900 and Herbert (b.1893). all were born in Leek. the Lee family homes included: 39 Kiln Lane, Leek, Staffs. [C.1891]; 10 Ayr Street, All Saints Parish Nottingham [C.1901]; 8 Waterloo Road, Nottingham [C.1911]; 94 Portland Road, Nottingham [Army records/1919]. By 1911 Joseph Goode Lee senior was a dealer in tapes and ribbons working for himself. He died in the Shardlow registration district in 1915, aged 53. His widow, Sarah Ann, died at Nottingham in 1922, aged 62.
On 31 May 1909 Joseph Goode Lee married Clemence Holbrook at All Saints Church, Nottingham. They had three children: Stanley Herbert (b.1911), Joseph Sydney (b.1912) and Frances Grace (b.1915). The Lees were living at 135 Stanley Road, Forest Fields [C.1911 & Army records/1915]. After her husband’s death Clemence Lee provided documents stating she was living at 15 Wordsworth Road, Radford [Army records/1919]. What subsequently happened to his widow is unclear.
Commencing 13th January 1919 his widow was awarded a pension of 29 shillings and 7 pence a week.
He enlisted on 11 December 1915 at Nottingham but placed in the Army Reserve until mobilised on 2 June 1916; posted to the 3rd Bn. Lincolnshire Regiment [Service No.50173]; sent to France 18 September 1916 and placed in 1st Bn. Lincolnshire Regiment; transferred to 11 Bn. Lincolnshire Regiment on 12 October 1916; sent back to England on 7 May 1917; posted to the 3rd Bn. East Yorkshire Regiment on 22 June 1917; returned to France on 27 July 1917; subsequently transferred to 11th Bn. East Yorkshire Regiment on 15 August 1917; died of his wounds; buried at Longuenesse (St Omer) Souvenir Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France.
His brother Private Herbert Lee enlisted at Derby and served firstly in the 3rd and then the 2/6th Battalion Sherwood Foresters.
The Battalion was first sent to Ireland in 1916 and there assisted in putting down the Irish Rebellion. In February 1917 they were at No. 6 Camp Hurdcott in Wiltshire and it was from here that they left to go overseas to France. They actually left on 26 February 1917 and arrived at Boulogne late on the 26th, spending the night in St Martin's Camp. On the 28th they marched to Pont de Metz. They now moved around the battlefield holding various positions and being engaged in many actions both of a defensive nature and raiding and attacking German positions. By March 1918 the German were pushing he allies back a considerable distance. The 2/6th Battalion suffered a very heavy bombardment and heavy raid by the Germans on the 21st March at Mory L’ Abbaye. Many men were taken prisoner here and Lee may have been one of them. The War Diary does not mention missing or prisoners on any other occasion, although it does give details of wounded and dead.
Post cards subsequently received by the family from the PoW Camp Parchim (Stalag 3) substantiate his capture to be the case.
The battalion was disbanded in July 1918 and the men were sent to strengthen up other line battalions
From what is known of his capture and subsequent employment on the German railway, it would appear that he may have been working on the 29th October 1918 in this area of France, at which time, the British commenced a bombardment of the German lines and rear areas. It may have been then that he was killed by fire from British guns directed at the Germans. Having no known grave his name is commemroated on the Vis-En-Artois Memorial Panel 7
additional research and information Peter Gillings
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