William Herbert Lees was born on 7th April 1920 in Rose Bay, New South Wales, Australia.

He was the son of Herbert John and Frances Lees.

Before signing up William was a shipping company clerk.

William enlisted on 3rd March 1941 in Sydney.

William was trained at No.1 B.G.S. in Australia and received his Air Gunners Badge in July 1941.

He embarked on the M.V. Awatea on the 8th August 1941 from Sydney to Vancouver, Canada and on the 23rd October 1941 he departed Canada for England and arrived on the 4th November 1941.

In June of 1942 he was attached to the Middle East Command and joined 70 squadron on the 30th June. By the end of October 1942 William was back in England and became an instructor on Air Gunnery.

William was married to Olive 'Harding' on 31st August 1943 in the Registry Office, Poole, Dorset.

In October 1943 he joined 1652 conversion unit and rejoined squadron service on 3rd February 1944 with 466 squadron at RAF Leconfield.

William had died in the crash on the 18th March 1944 at Wembach at the age of 23.

William was initially buried in Wembach Civil Cemetery, before being re-buried by the allied forces to a dedicated war cemetery in early December 1947.

William is now buried in Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany in area 7, row H, grave 11.