Normandy British Soldier Watch Collection

Lépine · 2023-05-09T20:56:55Z

Explore the remarkable life of Colonel Harold Burton Lee, a British RAMC doctor at D-Day and ultra-marathon pioneer, meticulously researched by Lépine.

Lépine

WPS member · Horological Meandering forum

11 replies695 views35 photos

Lépine's latest contribution to the Horological Meandering forum offers a poignant look beyond the horological, delving into the extraordinary life of Colonel Harold Burton Lee. This article highlights Lee's distinguished service as a British RAMC doctor during WWII, including his presence on Normandy Beach, and his pioneering influence in ultra-marathon running. Lépine meticulously reconstructs Lee's story, demonstrating how historical research can illuminate the lives of individuals whose impact, though not globally recognized, profoundly shaped their fields.

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This next story is about a Doctor that spent most of his career in the British RAMC.

He was on Normandy Beach during the D-Day Invasion.

His name was Harold Burton Lee.

Before retiring from the Army, H. B. Lee became a Colonel and headed the military hospital in London.

Interestingly enough, his passion was marathon running. He was in fact one of the pioneers of ultra marathon running.

The H. B. Lee Cup is a nonprofessional championship named after him. The original cup is still in the Orion Harriers possession.

The work that H.B. Lee did in the field of endurance sports and ultra marathon was used by the British Olympic Team to train for the Mexico Olympics.

Below is the flag that H.B. Lee followed. He was with the RAMC 140th Field Ambulance, you can see he toured most of the European Theater of War including performing surgery on soldiers

at Normandy Beach and Anzio.

I was permitted a copy of his military records from the MoD.

Key Points from the Discussion

The author spent two years collaborating with St. Bart's and the Ministry of Defense to compile information on Colonel Lee. Despite extensive efforts, full military records remain private due to regulations for post-WW1 veterans without known next of kin, even with special dispensation.
The community appreciates the detailed and precise nature of the stories shared by the author, particularly how these historical narratives are connected to the watches they carry.

The Discussion

sschew

May 9, 2023

That's an awesome story.

LÉ

Lépine

May 9, 2023

Thank you, I think you replied while I was still grabbing more pictures from my cellphone. Hopefully you got to see all of them. I should have had the story line better planned for uploading. As you can tell, although Colonel Harold Burton Lee didn't change the world like some of the other watches of the leaders of the world. He did leave a small bit of himself behind and it has been interesting. It took about two years of working with St. Bart's and the Ministry of Defense to get as much inform

sschew

May 9, 2023

I'm looking at them right now. Thanks for posting this-the story is awesome

Derreck

May 10, 2023

Thank you for sharing with us these minutely and precisely detailed stories that you get to carry on you shaped as wrist watches

LÉ

Lépine

May 10, 2023

For the interesting ones.

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