Lee, Willie Chan

Willie Chan Lee in pilot gear.  Photo Copyright Dan Chan Lee

Chan Kewl Ying 陳 橋 英

Pilot Officer WILLIE LEE 416123, Royal New Zealand Air Force. He was born in 1914 the fifth son of Chan Ming Fun, aka Ching Shing Lee, of Hargee Village.

Surname: Lee Forenames: Willie

Rank Last Held: Pilot Officer Serial No.: 16123 War: World War II, 1939-1945

Date of Death: 14 November 1942 Place of Death: United Kingdom Age at Death: 28

Biographical Notes:

Pilot Officer Lee was educated at Pui Ching Middle School, Canton. He attended night school and studied mathematics for two years and then attended the Central Military Airforce School at Hangchow where he completed 100 hours flying. In 1938 he returned to New Zealand and enlisted in 1940. Between his return and joining the airforce he worked for Stanley Chan, a fruitgrower in Auckland.

His first base was at the Initial Training Wing at Levin where he went on 9 November 1941 and trained on Harvard aircraft.

Date of Birth: 12 January 1914 Place of Birth: Dannevirke, New Zealand

Enlistment Date: 2 December 1940 Marital Status: Single Unit Last: 61 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit

Further References: New Zealand Herald 5 April 1997 "Forgotton Fighting Forces

Dinkum Aliens - Manying Ip - World War 2 Veterans

Remembered with honour OSWESTRY GENERAL CEMETERY

Source
Auckland War Memorial Museum
Chinese Digital Community
The War Graves Photographic Project


'My brother Willie was determined to join the air force…He actually had his initial pilot training in China-- to him the hardest part was learning Chinese (language)first. Then he returned to NZ and joined the RNZAF.'-- Dan Chan Lee.
 Source
Dinkum Aliens

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