Lionel Wilmot Brabazon Rees
Captain, Royal Artillery and Royal Flying Corps
- Register No.
- 1033 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Captain (register: Temp. Major) all Captains →
- Unit
- Royal Artillery and Royal Flying Corps (register: No. 32 Squadron RFC) all No. 32 Squadron RFC VCs →
- Date of action
- 1 July 1916 on this day → all of 1916 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 5th August 1916 on this day → all of 1916 →
- Born
- 31st July 1884 at Caernarfon, North Wales
- Died
- the 28th September 1955 in the Bahamas
Digest of citation
Sighting what he thought was a bombing party of our own aircraft returning from a bombing run, only to discover, as he approached to escort them, that they were 10 enemy machines. Captain Rees was attacked by one of the machines, and after a short fight, disappeared behind enemy lines, damaged. He was then attacked by five other aircraft at long range, but on coming closer, they dispersed. After seriously damaging two of the machines, he gave chase to another two, who he saw flying westwards. On getting closer, he got a wound in the thigh, which caused him to lose control of his aircraft, temporarily. When he managed to get it righted, he closed with the enemy, firing from the close range of a few yards, until all his ammunition was spent. He returned home, landing his machine safely in our lines
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
REES, Lionel Wilmot Brabazon. (reg No. 1033).
Captain. Royal Artillery and Royal Flying Corps. * London Gazetted on 5th August 1916.
Born on 31st July 1884 at Caernarfon, North Wales.
Died on the 28th September 1955 in the Bahamas. On grave at Nassau War Cemetery, Bahamas and in St George's Royal Garrison Church, Woolwich, London.
Digest citation reads: Sighting what he thought was a bombing party of our own aircraft returning from a bombing run, only to discover, as he approached to escort them, that they were 10 enemy machines. Captain Rees was attacked by one of the machines, and after a short fight, disappeared behind enemy lines, damaged. He was then attacked by five other aircraft at long range, but on coming closer, they dispersed. After seriously damaging two of the machines, he gave chase to another two, who he saw flying westwards. On getting closer, he got a wound in the thigh, which caused him to lose control of his aircraft, temporarily. When he managed to get it righted, he closed with the enemy, firing from the close range of a few yards, until all his ammunition was spent. He returned home, landing his machine safely in our lines.
* 32 Squadron.
Additional information:. Group Captain Rees also held the Order of the British Empire (OBE), the Military Cross (MC) and the Air Force Cross (AFC). Other 1st May 1917 he was made a Wing Commander in the Royal Flying Corps, carrying the same rank into the Royal Air Force when it was formed on the 1st April 1918. He went on to serve in the Royal Air Force until 1931, during which time he served as the Assistant Commandant at the Royal Air Force College, Cranwell from 1923-24. From 1926-29 the Commanded, as a Group Captain, the Headquarters of RAF Transjordan and Palestine , during which time, from 1925 he also served as ADC to King George V until 1931. He also commanded RAF Uxbridge from 1929-30 followed by the Command of 21 Group until 1931. He served in the Second World War in the Royal Air Force from 1941-42. He sailed single-handed across the Atlantic, which took from late 1933 to January 1934 and he was awarded the Blue Water Medal for the feat. He also wrote a book called Fighting in the Air.
Additional information
Group Captain Rees also held the Order of the British Empire (OBE), the Military Cross (MC) and the Air Force Cross (AFC). Other 1st May 1917 he was made a Wing Commander in the Royal Flying Corps, carrying the same rank into the Royal Air Force when it was formed on the 1st April 1918. He went on to serve in the Royal Air Force until 1931, during which time he served as the Assistant Commandant at the Royal Air Force College, Cranwell from 1923-24. From 1926-29 the Commanded, as a Group Captain, the Headquarters of RAF Transjordan and Palestine , during which time, from 1925 he also served as ADC to King George V until 1931. He also commanded RAF Uxbridge from 1929-30 followed by the Command of 21 Group until 1931. He served in the Second World War in the Royal Air Force from 1941-42. He sailed single-handed across the Atlantic, which took from late 1933 to January 1934 and he was awarded the Blue Water Medal for the feat. He also wrote a book called Fighting in the Air.
* 32 Squadron.
On grave at Nassau War Cemetery, Bahamas and in St George's Royal
Garrison Church, Woolwich, London.
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