LEE, Errol John
| Service Number: | 235328 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 21 January 1964, Died 11 May 1969 aged 22 years, killed in action near Nui Dat, South Vietnam |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 5th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (5RAR) |
| Born: | Ashfield, New South Wales, Australia , 30 July 1946 |
| Home Town: | Dickson, Australian Capital Territory |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Army Officer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, South Vietnam, 11 May 1969, aged 22 years |
| Cemetery: |
Woden (Canberra) Public Cemetery, ACT EX/H/X/149 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Grafton Clarence Valley Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Kallangur Vietnam Veterans' Place, Port Pirie Vietnam Veterans Honour Wall, Seymour Vietnam Veterans Commemorative Walk Roll of Honour |
Vietnam War Service
| 21 Jan 1964: | Enlisted Australian Army (Post WW2), Lieutenant, 235328, 5th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (5RAR), Died 11 May 1969 aged 22 years, killed in action near Nui Dat, South Vietnam | |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Jan 1969: | Involvement Australian Army (Post WW2), Lieutenant, 235328 | |
| Date unknown: | Involvement Lieutenant, 235328, 5th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (5RAR) |
My Story
Lee enlisted on 24 January 1964 and graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon as an officer in 1967. He married Barbara Kirk of Dickson at the Anzac Memorial Chapel, Duntroon on 17 December 1968, just before leaving for Vietnam, and served with A Company, 5 RAR from 27 January 1969. On 11 May 1969 he was leading his platoon (No.3 Platoon) in operations in the Nui Thi Vai hills south west of the main Australian base at Nui Dat. He was mortally wounded when he moved forward to reconnoitre the enemy's position in a series of caves after his platoon came under fire. It took several hours for his men (including Private Tim Donnelly), under constant heavy fire, to recover his body. Lee is buried in grave 149 of the ex-services section of Woden Cemetery.
Submitted 11 May 2021 by John Sutton
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