David Lee (RAF officer)

Sir David Lee
Born	4 September 1912 Luton, Bedfordshire, England
Died	13 February 2004 Swindon, Wiltshire, England
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Air Force
Years of service	1930–1971
Rank	Air Chief Marshal
Commands held	No. 904 Wing RAF Scampton Air Forces Middle East
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire Companion of the Order of the Bath

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.

RAF career

Educated at Bedford School,^[1] Lee joined the Royal Air Force in 1930.^[2] 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.^[2] He completed his war service as Officer Commanding No. 904 Wing in the Dutch East Indies^[2] where he was responsible for repatriating prisoners of war.^[1]

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.^[2] 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.^[2] 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.^[2]

Family

In 1938 he married Denise Hartoch; they had a son and a daughter.^[1]

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

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Obituary: Air Chief Marshal Sir David Lee Daily Telegraph, 19 February 2004
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f} Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation - Air Chief Marshal Sir David Lee

Military offices
Preceded by Sir Walter Cheshire	Air Member for Personnel 1965 – 1968	Succeeded by Sir Andrew Humphrey

Persondata
Name	Lee, David
Alternative names
Short description	Senior Royal Air Force officer
Date of birth	4 September 1912
Place of birth	Luton, Bedfordshire
Date of death	13 February 2004
Place of death	Swindon, Wiltshire