Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

John Owen Lee was born on 29 Sep 1895 at Jarrow, Durham, UK the eldest child of William and Elizabeth Lee. His father was a shipyard Joiner. By the age of 14 years he was working as a clerk at the Copper Tube Works.
John served in the Durham Light Infantry during WW1 in France and Belgium. The Durham Light Infantry was deployed straight to France in September 1914. It remained on the Western Front until the Armistice in November 1918. I have not tried to find the UK Army records for John Owen other than a UK, World War I Service Medal and Award Rolls document on Ancestry which confirms he was entitled to the Victory Medal and British War Medal.
In 1922 John Owen immigrated to Australia and must have been in the South Burnett by 1923 when the Wooroolin WW1 Honour Board was placed in the Memorial Hall.
John enlisted in the Citizen Forces in the Australian Army in 1939 and there are amalgamated records for him on the NAA website for service numbers Q302323 & Q164753. He was living in Stanley St, South Brisbane when he enlisted in the 2nd AIF Reception Depot on 16 Oct 1939 and discharged in Jan 1940 as services no longer required. He enlisted a second time in Jun 1940 and was discharged in June 1941.
John Lee was probably a clerk in this unit as at the time the AIF was formed in late 1939 a Recruit Training Depot was established at the Brisbane Exhibition Grounds to receive, induct and provide basic training to recruits before they were posted to their units for further training.
At some time John Lee moved to the South Burnett and lived in Wondai. He is remembered on the South Burnett Anzac Heroes website and there is a mention of him in the books written by Tony Matthews Ph.D. - Heartbreak, Hope and Harmony. Mr Lee contributed $1000 towards the construction of the second block of units for the aged at Wondai.
Graham Mitchell remembers Mr Lee during the 1970’s. He was a member of the Wondai QCWA choir and had a fine singing voice. He was a tenor and his favourite was always Christmas Time. Especially the song Christmas Is Coming in which he got to highlight his wonderful tenor voice singing a High G right at the end of the song.
Mr Lee was a resident of the Wondai Hospital (original building). Joanne Johnston remembers that when her father was the Administer in the office he would send her sister and her around to all the elderly folk to pay them a visit. She remember Mr Lee would always have books with him then next day we would see him walk past our house heading for the library with the books tied in a leather book strap . A true gentleman with a lovely voice.
John Owen Lee died on 6 Aug 1985 at Wondai and is buried at Wondai Cemetery.
Lest We Forget