More about John Orr Lees

John has no known grave but is remembered on the Helles Memorial.

John Orr Lees   CZ/965   Anson Bn   R.N.D.

Born 19/10/1892. Killed in action 21st September 1915. A plumber, son of William & Elizabeth Lees, of 25 Constitution St., Dundee; later of: Pleasance Place, Birkhill, Dundee, Forfarshire. Resided with mother on enlistment.

R.N.D. Data base

John O Lees was the son of Mrs William Lees, Pleasance Place, Birkhill, Dundee and his address on joining up in October 1914 was 25 Constitution Street, Dundee. He left his job as a Plumber and volunteered to join the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve onboard HMS Unicorn for service in the Royal Naval Division. After initial Naval Training at the Crystal Palace in South London he was sent to Blandford Camp in Dorset for advanced military training in January 1915. In April he was drafted to the Benbow Battalion which was under training in Blandford Camp. In May the Benbow Battalion sailed for service overseas, arriving in Gallipoli at the end of the month. On 4 June the Benbow was held as a reserve during the Third Battle of Krithia. The RND suffered enormous losses during the fighting and the Benbow Battalion was disbanded afterwards with the men being transferred to other Naval Battalions. John Lees was sent to the Anson and, whilst serving with this Battalion, was hospitalised in Lemnos with a compounded spine injury. He recovered but, in September, John Lees was killed in action. His body was not recovered and his name is commemorated on the Helles Memorial on the Gallipoli Peninsula.

His mother received his war pension and was living at 15 Stirling Street, Dundee.