William Riley Lee
In 1911 he was serving with the 3rd Bn Grenadier Guards in London (registration district St George, Hanover Square) as a shoe maker's boy.
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
William Riley Lee was born in 1888 (birth registered O/N/D Nottingham), the son of William P Lee a tinsmith and Anna Frances Keeling Lee née Riley of 17 Rick Street, Glasshouse Street, Nottingham.
His father William P was born in 1859 at Downham Market, his mother Anna Riley was born in 1860 at Belper, they were married on 31st December 1877 at St Thomas's chruch Nottingham, they went on to have 12 children, sadly 6 were to die in infancy or early childhood.
In the 1911 census the family are living at 10 Portland Street, Coalpit Lane, Nottingham, William 52 yrs is a tin smith he is living with his wife Anna 51 yrsa hosiery hand, they are living with two of their children, Mary 13 yrs and Frederick 10 yrs of age.
In the same 1911 census we find William in the Army, he is shown as being 22 yrs and is serving with the 3rd battalion Grenadier Guards who are in barrcks in England.
Private William Riley Lee enlisted at Nottingham, he served with the 3rd battalion Grenadier Guards, he served in France from 26 July 1915. He died of wounds on 23rd September 1916.
He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial (Panel Reference: Pier and Face 8 D).
He qualified for the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Nottingham Evening Post (photograph), Monday 27 November 1916: ‘Sgt WR Lee (Grenadiers), 17 Rick St. Nottingham, killed in action, aged 28.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Registers of Soldiers’ Effects: 13832 Staff Sergeant W Lee d. 23 Sep 1916: Father, William P. (record annotated that something was ‘unclaimed’)
Photo of William Riley Lee
Thiepval Memorial,