Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Quite a gloom was cast over Tenterfield (N.S.W.) on 15 November when it became known that Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Lee, the son of long serving politician the Hon. Charles Alfred Lee M.L.A. and his wife Clara Jane Tindale, had passed away.

He was a former student of the Maitland Boys' High School and spent the early part of his life in the service of the A.J.S. Bank in Queensland.

Considering his age, 44, no soldier of Australia had seen more service than Lieutenant-Colonel Lee. He served practically throughout the whole of the Boer War, enlisting as a Private and rising to Captain - being present at the Cronji surrender and at the Mafeking front where he contracted enteric fever before being invalided to Britain. Returning to South Africa, he was, when peace was signed, serving under Lord Kitchener.

Subsequently, after being repatriated to Australia he returned to South Africa where he worked for several years for a large gold mining company before returning to Australia and again settling at 'Beverley' near Stanthorpe where he carried on tin mining.

Upon the outbreak of the Great War, he being a reserve officer, offered himself for service, and was accepted. He was placed in charge of a transport sailing for Egypt and later was ordered to Gallipoli, where he served many weary months, being in charge of the Lone Pine trenches. He and eight men were the last of the Australians to vacate the famous Peninsula when the evacuation was carried out.

He then returned to Egypt and took charge of the 4th Light Horse Brigade, seeing continuous service until the Senussi were completely defeated. Thence he proceeded to Palestine and was present at the taking of Beersheba and Jerusalem. He was then promoted and given command of the 4th Camel Corps. In this position he saw a great deal of hard service. This corps was always ahead of the army, spying out the land and the enemy positions. They were particularly subject to aeroplane attack and it was a frequent thing for aeroplanes to kill as many as 20 camels and men with one bomb.

After reaching the Jordan he became unwell owing to shell shock and the effects of gas. He was then given home leave, being placed in charge of a transport on the homeward journey. His health became better, and after spending several months in a Brisbane military hospital he returned to his father's home ‘Claremont’ in Tenterfield, where he became suddenly worse and passed peacefully away. He was buried with full military honours - South African comrades marched on one side, and men from Egypt on the other. His two brothers, Lieutenant F. S. Lee (France) and 171 Sergeant L. K. Lee (Palestine) are on active service.

References:

Ararat Advertiser (Vic. : 1914 - 1918), Tuesday 19 November 1918, page 3

Maitland Daily Mercury (NSW : 1894 - 1939), Thursday 21 November 1918, page 4

Lieut.-Col. Charles Arthur Lee, son of Mr C. A. Lee M.L.A., died at Tenterfield on Wednesday at the age of 44 years. The deceased was born in Tenterfield, and, in his early life, was employed by the Australian Joint Stock Bank, Queensland. When the South African war broke out, he, being an officer, was offered a commission. He quitted the service of the bank and enlisted. Meantime all the available officerships had been filled, and he enlisted as a private, and served throughout practically the whole of the war. He was present when Cronje surrendered, and was then transferred to the Mafeking front, where he contracted enteric fever. On recovering he was sent on leave to England, and later returned to South Africa, remaining there until peace was signed. At the conclusion of the war he returned to Australia for a few weeks, but went back to South Africa again, and stayed there for several years as confidential authority in connection with a large gold mine. He again sailed for Australia, and settled at Beverley, Stanthorpe, where he carried on tin mining. Upon the outbreak of the present war, being a reserve officer, he offered himself for service at once, and was accepted. He went to Gallipoli, where he served many mouths. After the evacuation he returned to Egypt and took charge of the Fourth Light Horse Brigade, seeing continuous service until the Senussi were completely defeated. Then he proceeded to Palestine, and was present at the taking of Beersheba and Jerusalem. He was promoted and given command of the 4th Camel Corps. After reaching the Jordan he became very unwell owing to shell shock, and the effects of gas, and was given home leave. Upon arrival in Australia his condition became worse, and he was placed in a military hospital in Brisbane. He was there for five months, when he returned to his father's home in Tenterfield. His condition became serious, and he passed away suddenly, shattered nerves being the immediate cause of death.