An unusual 'Two Brothers' family assembly
to
2nd Bn SUFFOLK Regt.
1914-15 Trio & Plaque,
To:
15507.Pte.BENJAMIN LEE. 2/SUFFOLK R.
(DIED OF WOUNDS 10th APRIL 1916)
1914-15 Trio,
To:
15470. L/Cpl.David Lee.SUFFOLK R.
With two very large & original photos of both brothers in regimental uniform.Includes colour copies of both MIC's etc.
Ben & David Lee were the sons of George and Eliza Lee of Short Drove, Adelaide, ELY, Cambridge.
Benjamin Lee (right) is commemorated with eternal honour at LA CLYTTE MILITARY CEMETERY, FRANCE.
2/SUFFOLKS SUFFERED VERY LARGE CASUALTIES AT THE BATTLES OF THE BLUFF & ST ELOI CRATERS on 1st / 2nd March 1916, WHICH IS ALMOST CERTAINLY WHERE BEN LEE SUFFERED HIS TERMINAL WOUNDS£595
EYE WITNESS ACCOUNT
"Ypres, 1 March 1916: In a few minutes the battle for the recapture of the Bluff will begin, and I am now going over to take command of the battery. I have had one gun pit hit this morning, and expect we shall have a bad time at this afternoon. 10 pm. There has been a terrific bombardment - almost worse than Loos, whilst it lasted. At 5pm we started off. As the attack is not on the front of our Division, we only demonstrated, i.e. kept up a moderate fire on the Hun trenches. We must have had a tremendous collection of big guns on our right, as the roar was absolutely continuous. Things have quietened down, but we start again at 4am tomorrow.
Ypres, 2nd March 1916: I got up at 4am and went over to the battery. It was pitch dark and I nearly broke my neck crossing the little trestle bridge over the moat. At half-past, to a second, then bombardment began with an appalling crash, hundreds and probably thousands of guns from 18 pounders up to "Grandmama", the great 15 inch howitzer, let fly it together. For the next hour the noise was simply indescribable. It was almost impossible to distinguish the report of one gun from that of another; the only thing it can be compared to is the roll of a drum. We have the ramparts of the town near us, and the noise was intensified by the continuous echo. It was quite impossible to make oneself heard, even by yelling in a person's ear. After an hour, it began to die down and by the time I came over to breakfast at 8 o'clock it was fairly quiet. The Hun, to my surprise, took it lying down - at least, as far as our area was concerned, he did not fire at all. As soon as the bombardment began, we saw the German SOS signals going up all along the zone that was threatened. There were red rockets bursting into red stars. Soon after, rockets of all colours went up - white, green, red, golden rain, and even red golden rain. I imagine these were meant to confuse us.
About 9 o'clock the wounded began to stream down the road. All those who could walk took himself to the field hospitals. Only the bad cases can be taken in the motor ambulances; these went by in streams also. Most of the men were very cheerful at the prospect of a slight wound that would take them home for a bit. They were principally men who would been hit through the arm or leg by rifle bullets. They told us they had got back our lost trenches and also has some of the old German trenches. They said they had been wonderfully supported by the artillery, whose fire had kept just in front of them as they charged. In spite of the bombardment, the German trenches were full of men, and they had to charge under very heavy rifle and machine-gun fire. The Suffolks and the Gordon Highlanders seem to have lost most. Some men of the former regiment said their battalion was wiped out; but men always say they are the sole survivors. A little later, convoys of German prisoners came through and escorts with fixed bayonets - I should think between 200 and 300 in all, no officers. They were quite a good lot of men, in the prime of life. All wore the flat round cap - no helmets. They have been trying to get into Ypres for 18 months, and now they have succeeded!"
Ypres, 2nd March 1916: I got up at 4am and went over to the battery. It was pitch dark and I nearly broke my neck crossing the little trestle bridge over the moat. At half-past, to a second, then bombardment began with an appalling crash, hundreds and probably thousands of guns from 18 pounders up to "Grandmama", the great 15 inch howitzer, let fly it together. For the next hour the noise was simply indescribable. It was almost impossible to distinguish the report of one gun from that of another; the only thing it can be compared to is the roll of a drum. We have the ramparts of the town near us, and the noise was intensified by the continuous echo. It was quite impossible to make oneself heard, even by yelling in a person's ear. After an hour, it began to die down and by the time I came over to breakfast at 8 o'clock it was fairly quiet. The Hun, to my surprise, took it lying down - at least, as far as our area was concerned, he did not fire at all. As soon as the bombardment began, we saw the German SOS signals going up all along the zone that was threatened. There were red rockets bursting into red stars. Soon after, rockets of all colours went up - white, green, red, golden rain, and even red golden rain. I imagine these were meant to confuse us.
About 9 o'clock the wounded began to stream down the road. All those who could walk took himself to the field hospitals. Only the bad cases can be taken in the motor ambulances; these went by in streams also. Most of the men were very cheerful at the prospect of a slight wound that would take them home for a bit. They were principally men who would been hit through the arm or leg by rifle bullets. They told us they had got back our lost trenches and also has some of the old German trenches. They said they had been wonderfully supported by the artillery, whose fire had kept just in front of them as they charged. In spite of the bombardment, the German trenches were full of men, and they had to charge under very heavy rifle and machine-gun fire. The Suffolks and the Gordon Highlanders seem to have lost most. Some men of the former regiment said their battalion was wiped out; but men always say they are the sole survivors. A little later, convoys of German prisoners came through and escorts with fixed bayonets - I should think between 200 and 300 in all, no officers. They were quite a good lot of men, in the prime of life. All wore the flat round cap - no helmets. They have been trying to get into Ypres for 18 months, and now they have succeeded!"