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Joe Lee 1 PARA

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  • #16
    Re: Joe Lee 1 PARA

    Originally posted by standinthedoor View Post
    What a shock, totally unexpected, thought Joe would live for ever, I will rephrase that, outside of the more senior ranks of the airborne since WW2 there has not been a better front man for airborne forces and in particular the Parachute Regiment than Joe Lee and his name will live for as long as there is a Parachute Regiment. Did patrols up the Kyrenia and Troodos mountains in Cyprus during the EOKA stuff with Joe, think he was a Tom at the time and he did the patrols and ambushes with no buggering about, would tend to follow Joe more than the patrol leaders, a soldier to his boot straps. Rest in peace Joe, glad the end seemed to be peaceful with your family around you. Think the photo has another old mate in the background-Ron Lewis-seems to RSM on that photo. Time and tide wait for no man. Condolences to Mick, other family members and friends.
    ron lewis was CSM support coy 1 para not well liked
    shankhill rd to the battle school " carpe diem"

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    • #17
      Re: Joe Lee 1 PARA

      Originally posted by billy meikle View Post
      ron lewis was CSM support coy 1 para not well liked
      Not surprised at that Billie, he was one of the first to come to a Bn through Jnr Para if I remember right, I think that 'politically' his career was planned out and assured from day 1. As a Tom he had to fall in and keep quiet as you would expect but think he knew he was going to move through the ranks, never remember him getting rowdy or pissed. think he left as a Major

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      • #18
        Re: Joe Lee 1 PARA

        Joe's was a funeral I would have driven down to if the family wanted that, unfortunately with the Covid lock down that cannot happen, sadly.

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        • #19
          Re: Joe Lee 1 PARA

          Try a train

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          • #20
            Re: Joe Lee 1 PARA

            Originally posted by billS View Post
            Try a train
            Its about numbers allowed billS, not getting there! I think you knew that

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            • #21
              Re: Joe Lee 1 PARA

              R.I.P Joe who called everyone in 1 Para by their first name.
              It's not the dog in the fight,it's the fight in the dog that matters.

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              • #22
                Re: Joe Lee 1 PARA

                Originally posted by billy meikle View Post
                ron lewis was CSM support coy 1 para not well liked

                Back in the 90's at ABF week end Ron L did a rendition of "the death of Nelson" he was last out of the mess and took the parade later. I have seen him post on FB

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                • #23
                  Re: Joe Lee 1 PARA

                  Well I attended the Funeral of Joe, his casket was draped with the Regimental Flag along with his Drum as the hearse drove into the Crem at 14:15hrs the casket was aloft and marched into the crem to the sound of the old rugged cross.IMG_6983.JPGIMG_6982.JPGIMG_6981.JPGIMG_6980.JPGIMG_6980.JPGIMG_6979.JPGIMG_6930 (2).JPG As the service came to an end 2 F15 flew over just out of coincidence.
                  Last edited by taff; 6 February 2021, 12:40.

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                  • #24
                    Re: Joe Lee 1 PARA

                    Looking at the first photo of Joe, says that is a well lived in face, which tells all about the mans experiences . It should be hung in the Airborne Forces Museum.
                    Bob (geordie) Watts

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                    • #25
                      Re: Joe Lee 1 PARA

                      Taff,
                      Thanks for those additional images and attending the funeral in these difficult times.

                      Bob,
                      Yes I have started a ParaData page for Joe and rightly so. These characters only come along once in a while. If anybody has any other photos of Joe please let me or Ben Hill the ParaData inputter at Duxford have them to include, in that way it will be a lasting memory to him.
                      Last edited by Gil; 7 February 2021, 10:24.

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                      • #26
                        Re: Joe Lee 1 PARA

                        Thanks Taff for attending, the flyover should have been deliberate, I never cast my mind back to 1 Para without Joe's face coming in to view. If ever 1 face should epitomise the Paras after WW2 it is Joe Lees. I knocked about with his brother Mick around the Shot and I know they were a very close family back in Wales, Joe had at least 1 other brother and they ran a thermalite/concrete block making business for a while, think I am right! If we did not have lock down the funeral would have been well attended (with families agreement of course)

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                        • #27
                          Re: Joe Lee 1 PARA

                          Mick is still around my area I don't know what they did after the Army. Gil the Drum was presented in 1976 according to Joe's son.

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                          • #28
                            Re: Joe Lee 1 PARA

                            Is that a Beverley boom shot?

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                            • #29
                              Re: Joe Lee 1 PARA

                              Memories of Cpl ‘Big Joe’ Lee Richard Dawnay Big Joe Lee was an immense character in D Company. Even as OC I certainly never wanted to upset him!

                              Jim Heycock
                              Joe Lee, who was known throughout 16 Para Bde, frightened me to death…His brother Mick took me through P Coy (in 69) and, as you say, he was bloody fit – did a handstand on top of the trainasium and I thought if I’ve go to that, that’s the end for me, either dead or failed…Mick’s partner in crime on that particular P Coy, was Tony Fleming who got wounded on Op Storm in Dhofar with D Sqn - became a paraplegic – again he died some years ago; a really great guy

                              Malcolm Simpson
                              I became a very close friend of Joe Lee and later his brother Joe was not the man to argue with and his boxing skills proved that. Many fond memories of getting into trouble in Kenya in 1962 and Birdie Martin gives us a really hard time. Joe had an amazing memory Recall for things like: When he was the Battalion Clothing Storeman and you walked in for clothing exchange, he would ask for your name and then he would insert your Regimental Number without asking. He could also tell you the Vocab Number of the item you wanted and size. Many other stories to tell but in short, I was proud to be his friend and he my mentor. PS The Photo of Joe shows a lanyard going into the Right Top Pocket of his Smock. [IMG]file:///C:\Users\Gil\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\cl ip_image001.png[/IMG] Malcolm asks you do you remember what was the lanyard for? -Answer at the end…

                              Alan Batchelor
                              As a young officer in 33rd Para Light Regt RA, and Regimental Athletics Officer and competitor I still have memories of Joe Lee winning the Pole Vault every year, and I thinks throwing various implement great distances. One of the great Airborne characters of his time, he will be sadly missed.

                              Wayne Evans
                              Very saddened to hear of the passing of Big Joe Lee. Witnessed his actions on the day the FNG across the road from Radfan Camp mutinied. Not just larger than life but the bravest of the brave.

                              David Mackay
                              I knew Joe Lee well from 1 Para days and met with him a number of times in his home town of Bangor after he left the army. He was very much a one-off and a perfect example of the saying (Col Waddy?) that airborne soldiers are like spaniels: wonderful in the field but often a pain in the arse off it. He could be a real handful in drink and had to be handcuffed to the superstructure of a land rover after a good night out in Nicosia. For a while he was barred from several pubs in Bangor but mellowed in his old age. Joe was an army pole-vaulting champion. Taking issue with an order he did not like; he had a heated dispute with the airborne athletic team OC and asked to be RTU to normal duties. The team OC, Capt. David Froud, suggested instead that their differences be settled in the boxing ring. As David was Bde heavyweight champion at the time, Joe decided to stay with pole-vaulting. The episode left the pair friends for life.

                              Malcolm Rowlands Another big fan of Joe was the late Brigadier Joe Starling (JS). He had a photo of Big Joe on the office wall of his Bristol HQ. And in JS's book ("Soldier On: The Testament of a Tom’), although not named, there is a reference to him. Not sure that is right that Joe resisted promotion. My recollection is that he probably held a record for the number of times he was a Cpl. In the end I heard he was just given local rank which was less troublesome admin-wise to give and take away. A great airborne soldier, super fit and fearless. Anyone who knew him will have been enriched by the experience. May he Rest in Peace. well remember Cpl Joe Lee. He was a legend in 1 PARA and very helpful to young officers who were polite. I recall him climbing up a tall radio mast with me to repair some damage. The picture was taken when 1 PARA marched past him in Berlin 1975. He was leaving the service and the CO formed up the battalion to march past. It was a stirring event for all who took part.

                              Peter Lewis-Jones The two Joes in the armoury of D Coy 1 Para were a legend, Joe Lee and Joe Millward MM. Joe Lee in particular was the strongest guy I ever came across, a product of the North Wales quarries, with an interesting all-action tattoo, which earned him many a pint in addition to his metal bar bending prowess! It would take a brave but stupid man to upset him. A sad loss to the Regiment, but all privileged to have served with him will remember him.

                              What was Joe’s lanyard for?
                              An issue clasp knife was attached to the end of the lanyard (as per 1 PARA SOPs of the time)

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