William Norman LEE

LEE, William Norman

Service Number: 34535
Enlisted: 23 October 1940
Last Rank: Aircraftman
Last Unit: RAAF Station Darwin
Born: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 9 August 1919
Home Town: Essendon, Moonee Valley, Victoria
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Not yet discovered
Died: Flying Battle, Koepang, Timor, 30 January 1942, aged 22 years
Cemetery: No known grave - "Known Unto God"
Panel 10, Northern Territory Memorial, Adelaide River, Northern Territory, Australia
Memorials: Adelaide River Northern Territory Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour
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World War 2 Service

3 Sep 1939: Involvement 34535
23 Oct 1940: Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Aircraftman, RAAF Station Darwin
23 Oct 1940: Enlisted 34535

Help us honour William Norman Lee's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by David Barlow

Son of William James Lee and Lida Matilda Lee of Essendon, Victoria

 

Qantas Empire Airways Flying Boat G-AMUH “CORIO” was shot down by Japanese aircraft during a flight from Darwin to Koepang, Timor in the Netherlands East Indies

 

The aircrew (RAAF Reserve) that were killed are commemorated on the Ambon Memorial, Maluku, Indonesia (note: not on the WW2 nominal roll, no Personnel or Casualty files are held by the NAA) -

Pilot Officer Archibald Sloan Patterson (Radio Officer) 268075

Pilot Officer William George Cruickshank (Purser) 267534

Leading Aircraftman Sidney Charles Elphick (Steward) 301034

 

The RAAF personnel on board as passengers enroute to Timor are commemorated on the Northern Territory Memorial - Additional information on this incident is provided on the entry for Sergeant James Charles McMillan 6544

Corporal Edward George Kerr 18607

Aircraftman William Oliver Beckett 43169

Aircraftman John Henry Holliday 403513

Aircraftman Gordon Charles Van Treight 8041

Aircraftman James De Pinna 60211

Aircraftman William Norman Lee 34535

 

Also killed:

Mister E. Cutfield of Sarawak (CWGC - Civilian War Dead)

Mister G. A. Farrelly of Sarawak (CWGC - Civilian War Dead)

RAN Paymaster Lieutenant David William McCulloch HMAS Leeuwin - commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial in England

 

Survivors:

Captain Aubrey Albert Koch from Tasmania (Flying Boat Commander). Received a broken right leg and machine-gun bullet wounds in the left arm and left leg.  Evacuated to Darwin where he was caught up in the first Japanese raid on the town.

First Officer Victor Lyne - served in RAAF January 1938 - March 1941 - discharged as a Flying Officer from the Signals School

Passenger - Mister Frank Moore - Sarawak Civil Servant (Aged 32)

Passenger - Mister John Fisher - Sarawak Civil Servant (Aged 30)

Passenger - RAN Paymaster Lieutenant Bruce Lempriere Westbrook - discharged January 1946

 

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