WW1 BRITISH GALLIPOLI MC & MID GROUP TO CAPT. R.W LEE ESSEX REGIMENT (LATE ARTIST RIFLES)

A 1917 Palestine M.C./M.I.D. Group of four Medals awarded to Captain Reginald William Lee, Essex Regiment, late Artists Rifles, who was decorated for skillful leadership under heavy Turkish fire.

Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued, with replacement suspension bar; 1914-15 Star (2. Lieut.R. W. Lee. Essex. R.); British War and Victory Medals with small M.I.D. oak leaves (2. Lieut. R. W.Lee.).

Captain Lee served at Gallipoli and Sinai/Palestine.
It was for his gallantry during the attack of Ali Muntar Ridge (Ali-El-Muntar), one of the key positions overlooking Gaza in the First battle of Gaza that Lieutenant Lee was awarded the Military Cross.

On 26th March 1917 the First Battle of Gaza was fought. During the Battle, as part of 161 "Essex" Brigade, 54th Division, the 4th Essex were tasked with taking Green Hill and Ali Muntar Ridge.

M.C. London Gazette 14 August 1917:
‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. During an attack he went back under heavy machine gun and rifle fire at close range, collected and brought up reinforcements, regardless of his own safety. He then organised and skillfully led the final assault from his part of the line.’ "ali-el muntar 26.3.17"

M.I.D. London Gazette 6 July 1917

Reginald William Lee was born on 20 April 1890 at East Dulwich, London. Educated at Strand School and King’s College, London, Lee worked in Croydon as a bank clerk at the London County & West Bank Ltd. whilst living at 8 Gauden Road, Clapham.

Following the outbreak of the Great War he enlisted as a Private in the 28th Battalion, County of London Regiment (Artists Rifles) on 14 November 1914, being commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the 4th (Reserve) Battalion, Essex Regiment, in March 1915.

Embarking at Devonport on 24 September 1915 aboard Franconia, Lee joined his unit on the Gallipoli Peninsula on 7 October 1915. He later disembarked at Mudros per Marathon on 17 December 1915 and was promoted Temporary Captain on 13 March 1916 at the time of the Senussi Campaign, and upon the death of Captain Tyler.

Posted to Battalion Headquarters in Alexandria, he was awarded the M.C. and further advanced Acting Major on 14 June 1917 upon Major G. Jones relinquishing his commission. Just ten days later Lee was sent to hospital suffering from a septic foot, remaining under the careful watch of R.A.M.C. staff until 7 November 1917. As a result, he missed the Third Battle of Gaza fought from 1-3 November 1917 by a matter of days but was likely involved in the pursuit of Turkish forces across the desert alongside the ANZAC Mounted Division.

Returning to Kantara, Lee appears to have spent much of 1918 continuing to recuperate and assisting Battalion Headquarters. Embarking to England aboard the newly commissioned troopship Katoomba from Port Said on 27 May 1919, Lee returned home to Gauden Road and was demobilised on 8 June 1919.

Comes with copied service record and an original letter from the Army Council thanking Lee for his service during the Great War, dated 8 December 1920.

Code: 50269