David Lee (RAF officer)
Encyclopedia
Air Chief Marshal
Sir David John Pryer Lee GBE
CB
RAF (4 September 1912 - 13 February 2004) was a senior Royal Air Force
officer during World War II
and a senior commander in the in the 1950s and early 1960s.
, Lee joined the Royal Air Force in 1930. He served in World War II
as a pilot with No. 61 Squadron and then with No. 106 Squadron
before becoming Deputy Director of Plans at the Air Ministry
. He completed his war service as Officer Commanding No. 904 Wing in the Dutch East Indies
where he was responsible for repatriating prisoners of war
.
After the War he joined the Directing Staff at the RAF Staff College, Bracknell
and was then was appointed Deputy Director, Policy at the Air Ministry before becoming Station Commander at RAF Scampton
in 1953. He went on to be Secretary of the Chiefs of Staff Committee in 1956, Air Officer Commanding Air Forces Middle East in 1959 and Commandant of the RAF Staff College in 1962. He last appointments were as Air Member for Personnel
in 1965 and UK Military Representative to the NATO Military Committee in 1968 before retiring in 1971.
Air Chief Marshal
Air chief marshal is a senior 4-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Sir David John Pryer Lee GBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
CB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
RAF (4 September 1912 - 13 February 2004) was a senior Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
officer during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and a senior commander in the in the 1950s and early 1960s.
RAF career
Educated at Bedford SchoolBedford School
Bedford School is not to be confused with Bedford Modern School or Bedford High School or Old Bedford School in Bedford, TexasBedford School is an HMC independent school for boys located in the town of Bedford, England, United Kingdom...
, Lee joined the Royal Air Force in 1930. He served in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as a pilot with No. 61 Squadron and then with No. 106 Squadron
No. 106 Squadron RAF
No. 106 Squadron RAF was a Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force squadron active from 1917 until 1919. It was also operative during World War II and in the post war period until 1963.- Establishment and early service :...
before becoming Deputy Director of Plans at the Air Ministry
Air Ministry
The Air Ministry was a department of the British Government with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964...
. He completed his war service as Officer Commanding No. 904 Wing in the Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
where he was responsible for repatriating prisoners of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
.
After the War he joined the Directing Staff at the RAF Staff College, Bracknell
RAF Staff College, Bracknell
The RAF Staff College at Bracknell was a Royal Air Force staff college active for most of the second half of the 20th century. Its role was the training of staff officers in the administrative, staff and policy aspects of air force matters...
and was then was appointed Deputy Director, Policy at the Air Ministry before becoming Station Commander at RAF Scampton
RAF Scampton
Royal Air Force Station Scampton is a Royal Air Force station situated north of Lincoln in England, near the village of Scampton, on the site of an old First World War landing field.-First World War:...
in 1953. He went on to be Secretary of the Chiefs of Staff Committee in 1956, Air Officer Commanding Air Forces Middle East in 1959 and Commandant of the RAF Staff College in 1962. He last appointments were as Air Member for Personnel
Air Member for Personnel
The Air Member for Personnel is the senior Royal Air Force officer who is responsible for personnel matters and is a member of the Air Force Board...
in 1965 and UK Military Representative to the NATO Military Committee in 1968 before retiring in 1971.
Books
David Lee wrote a number of books on RAF history:- Flight from the Middle East: A history of the Royal Air Force in the Arabian Peninsula and adjacent territories 1945-1972, HMSO 1980
- Never Stop the Engine when it's Hot, Thomas Harmsworth Publishing 1983
- Eastward: A history of the Royal Air Force in the Far East 1945-1972, HMSO 1984
- Wings in the Sun: A history of the Royal Air Force in the Mediterranean 1945-1986, HMSO Books 1989