Chailey Parish magazine first mentions 6565 Private Charles Lee in its November 1916 issue, reporting him as Lee, Private C, 3rd Royal Sussex, England.  In the following month’s issue he is reported simply as Lee, Private C, 3rd Royal Sussex.

Soldiers Died In The Great War records that Charles Lee enlisted at Henley in Surrey.  The 3rd Royal Sussex was the reserve battalion which remained in England throughout the war.  At some stage however, Lee must have been posted to the 11th battalion (116th Brigade, 39th Division) because he was killed whilst serving with them on Sunday 3rd June 1917.  It was not until December 1917 however, that Lee’s name was recorded in the Chailey Parish magazine roll of honour.  The information was recorded, incorrectly, as Private C Lee, 3rd Royal Sussex, killed in action, June 2nd 1917, in France.

The 11th Royal Sussex was also known as the 1st South Downs Battalion and had been formed on 7th September 1914 by Lieutenant Colonel Claude Lowther MP.  All original enlistments (and there were 1,100 of them in under three days), were given an SD (South Downs) prefix to their regimental number.  The National Archive in London and Soldiers Died In The Great War record Lee’s number as G/6565 although The Commonwealth War Graves’ Commission’s Debt of Honour Register omits this prefix.

At the time of his death, Charles Lee was married to Florence Lee and was living in Chailey.  He was 31 years old.  He was buried in Vlamertinghe Military Cemetery in Ypres (VII F 4).  On his tombstone are written the words: “UNTIL THE DAY BREAK / AND THE SHADOWS FLEE AWAY”.