Horace William Lee
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Horace William Lee was born in 1894 at Hucknall and was the son of John Henry a coal miner hewer and Mary Ann Lee née Adey of 11 Leverton Row Hankin Street Butler's Hill Hucknall Torkard Nottinghamshire. His father John Henry was born in 1868 at Calverton, his mother Mary Ann Adey was born in 1869 at Faizeley, Warwickshire, they were married in 1890 their marriage was recorded in the Basford Registration district, they went on to have 10 children, sadly one died in infancy or early childhood, their children were Albert Edwin b1890 Basford, Florence Mabel Adey b1893 Basford, their remaining children were all born in Hucknall and were Horace William b1894, Emily b1896, Annie b1899, John Henry b1903, Charles Sydney b1905, Esther Selina b1907 and Ethel Hind Lee b1910. In the 1911 census the family are living at 11 Leverton Yard, Hankin Street, Hucknall and are shown as John Henry 43 yrs a coal miner hewer, he is living with his wife Mary Ann 42 yrs and their children Albert Edwin 21 yrs a coal miner, Florence Mabel Adey 18 yrs a cigar maker, Horace William a coal miner pony driver, Emily 15 yrs a stocking maker, Annie 12 yrs a scholar, John Henry 8 yrs a scholar, Charles Sidney 6 yrs, Esther Selina 4 yrs and Ethel Hind 1 year of age.
Private Horace William Lee enlisted at Hucknall he served with the 1st battalion Sherwood Foresters Regiment. He went to France on 27th December 1914 and was killed in action during the battle of Neuve Chapelle, 13th March 1915, age 20. His name is commemorated on Le Touret Memorial, France. Panel 26 and 27.
Article published in the Hucknall Dispatch 15th April 1915 :- “Our first photograph in the above trio is that of another Hucknallite who has given his young life for his country – Private Horace W. Lee, whose home was at 11, Leverton's row, Hankin street, Hucknall. He was one of the September recruits in the Sherwood Foresters, and was first sent up North for his training, and before the end of December was in France. By the middle of January he was undergoing all the hardships of trench work, but I the letters he sent home he used a cheerful strain. “It appears that he fell a victim in the great assault at Neuve Chapelle, and the notification if his death is conveyed in a letter from Lieut. J. Price Wylie, commanding D Company of the 1st Sherwood Foresters. The message reads: – “I regret very much to have to inform you that your son, No. 13930, Private H. W. Lee, was killed in action on March 11th [sic] at Neuve Chapelle. He died in the most glorious way, in the charge, and I hope this will help you to bear your heavy loss. He was killed instantaneously, I believe. I can sympathise with you deeply, as my own brother was killed in the same action.” “The deceased soldier, who never had a furlough, would have been 21 years of age had he survived till April 1st. He was well-known in the neighbourhood of Butler's hill, and much sympathy is felt for Mr. and Mrs. Lee and the family in great sorrow.” Above article is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918
