LEE, Eugene Victor
| Service Number: | 4535 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 30th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Warrnambool, Warrnambool, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 18 May 1917, age not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Vaulx Hill Cemetery Grave I.K. 24. |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Warrnambool Soldiers' Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 18 Feb 1916: | Involvement Private, 4535, 14th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '11' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ballarat embarkation_ship_number: A70 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 18 Feb 1916: | Embarked Private, 4535, 14th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ballarat, Melbourne | |
| 18 May 1917: | Involvement Private, 4535, 30th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 4535 awm_unit: 30th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1917-05-18 |
Help us honour Eugene Victor Lee's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Brian Jennings
LEE Private 4535 Eugene Victor
30th Battalion WW1
Collated with assistance from Jess Welfare – October 2023
Eugene Victor LEE was born in Warracknabeal, Victoria and before he enlisted on 17 July 1915 at the age of 18 and 6 months was a saddler.
He was soon shipped out, via Alexandria, Egypt, to France. However on the way he showed some Australian spirit by being charged after being found on the washhouse roof reading a book during Inspection.
By 23 April 1916 after landing in Marseilles, he joined the 30th Battalion in northern France.
In July he received gunshot wounds to the legs and by 5 August returned to his unit. On 18 May 1917, Eugene was killed near Vaulx Vraucourt in France, just north of Amiens and Saint Quentin.
Red Cross reports of interviews with those present at the time, held by the Australian War Museum, advise that he was wounded the day before but did not report it. One friend reported to the Red Cross that Eugene was sleeping in a billet left by the Germans just beyond Bapaume when he was killed by a high explosive shell. He further advised that Eugene was well liked, and his comrades placed a border of flowers around his grave, located beside the town’s church.
In the mid 1920’s those buried in the Churchyard were reinterred in the Military Cemetery just outside of town.
His family received photographs of the grave.
The following medals that he should have received were presented to the family:
• 1914 – 1915 Star
• British War Medal
• Victory Medal
Eugene was only 20 years old.
When Jess Welfare of North Beach RSL Sub-Branch visited the grave in September 2023 she left a message in the Visitors’ Book:
“ A little kangaroo from home to remind Eugene Lee that he is not forgotten. RIP”
Click images to start slideshow.