LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Cyril Francis LEE
Service No: 404019
Born: Selwyn QLD, 9 April 1919
Enlisted in the RAAF: 26 April 1940
Unit: No. 69 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Luqa, Malta
Died: Air Operations: (No. 69 Squadron Maryland aircraft 729), Central Mediterranean, 15 July 1941, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Herbert Leonard Lee, and of Emma Caroline Lee, of South Johnstone, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 2, Column 1, Malta Memorial, Malta
Remembered: Panel 125, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 15 July 1941 Maryland 729 left Luqa to carry out a photo reconnaissance over Tripoli and the North African coast. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take-off and it did not return to base. In 1948 it was recorded that the missing crew members had lost their lives at sea.
The crew members of Maryland 729 were:
Sergeant Cyril Francis Lee (404019) (Pilot)
Sergeant Jack Carson Grayson Neill (404036) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant James McKenzie Simpson (402026) (Observer)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/137/83
Bibliography:
Ilbery, P.L.T. (Peter Leslie Thomas) (422957) Hatching an Air Force: 2SFTS, 5SFTS, 1BFTS Uranquinty and Wagga Wagga, Banner Books Maryborough QLD 4650, 2002