Hackney in Greater London, England, United Kingdom — Northwestern Europe (the British Isles)

Captain Lionel Lee, MC, Cr. de Guerre

In Memory of WW2 Jewish War Hero

Photographed by Jerry Klinger, August 21, 2023

1. Captain Lionel Lee, Mc, Cr. de Guerre Marker

Inscription. British Secret Agent for the Special Operations Executive (SOE), born and brought up in Hackney. Deployed to Corsica and France on two missions, he was betrayed then murdered by the Nazis at the Gross Rosen death camp in 1944.

He has no known grave.

Be strong and of good courage (Joshua 1:9)
הלוא צויתיך חזק ואמץ

Erected 2023 by Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation, U.K. Branch, AJEX UK; The United Synagogue.

Topics and series. This memorial is listed in this topic list: War, World II. In addition, it is included in the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation. series list.

Location. 51° 32.227′ N, 0° 2.652′ W. Memorial is in Hackney, England, in Greater London. It is on Lauriston Road, on the right when traveling north. It is located outside of the front gates of the Lauriston Road Jewish Cemetery on the left hand side parallel to the public sidewalk. Touch for map. Memorial is at or near this postal address: 4 Ruthven St, Hackney, England

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E9 7HL, United Kingdom. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this memorial is in the Greater South East.

Globally, it is on the Atlantic Ocean,

in the North Atlantic Region,

in Europe,

in Atlantic Europe,

on one of the British Isles,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Roman Empire.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies: 1972 Munich Olympic Massacre (approx. 1.1 kilometers away); Bethnal Green Fire Memorial (approx. 1.3 kilometers away); Daniel Mendoza (approx. 1.3 kilometers away); Stairway to Heaven (approx. 1.3 kilometers away); Bethnal Green Tube Shelter Disaster (approx. 1.3 kilometers away); Operation Mincemeat (approx. 1.5 kilometers away); Sgt. Issy Smith, VC (approx. 1.8 kilometers away); Captain John Danny (approx. 1.9 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Hackney.

More about this memorial. The memorial is not a grave and is outside of the cemetery proper.

Regarding Captain Lionel Lee, MC, Cr. de Guerre. Captain Lee has no gravesite. Hitler gave

Photographed by Jerry Klinger, 2023

2. Captain Lionel Lee, Mc, Cr. de Guerre Marker

specific orders that anyone involved in espionage was to killed as soon as possible. Their bodies were to be burned as was Lee's.

Marker shows "Cr. de Guerre" which is the French award "Croix de Guerre" (Military Cross).

Also see . . .
1. The German wireless deception leading to the deaths of three SOE agents sent to France.

On the night of 28/29 February 1944, SOE agents France Antelme on his third mission to France, wireless operator Lionel Lee and Madeleine Damerment arrived by parachute near the city of Chartres to start a clandestine circuit called Bricklayer.

It is now believed sometime in late 1943 Canadian agents Frank Pickersgill and Ken Macalister had been arrested during which their wireless and codes were found, and a German operator started playing back their set and because the correct codes were being used no suspicion was raised in London. It was the Gestapo, not the Canadian agents who requested these agents be sent and consequently were dropped to the waiting Germans.

(Submitted on August 21, 2023, by Jerry Klinger of Boynton Beach, Florida.)

2. Captain Lionel Lee, MC, Croix de Guerre. 'An

Captain Lionel Lee, MC, Cr. de Guerre image. Click for full size.

3. Captain Lionel Lee, MC, Cr. de Guerre

officer of exceptional value. Very brave and he was our best radio operator. He was also an officer with considerable military experience, who set a very good example. His conduct was exemplary: we hold him in the highest esteem’ (Submitted on August 26, 2023, by Jerry Klinger of Boynton Beach, Florida.)

3. Captain Lionel Lee, MC, Cr de Gu - 'A Jewish hero of the SOE with no known grave'.

Lee would have been 27 years old if executed in the period 24 June – 4 September 1944 and his body disposed of in the crematorium at Gross-Rosen. Buckmaster later wrote that Lee had played an important role in combat and his summary of him stated:

'An officer of exceptional value. Very brave and he was our best radio operator. He was also an officer with considerable military experience, who set a very good example. His conduct was exemplary: we hold him in the highest esteem’.

(Submitted on August 2, 2024, by Jerry Klinger of Boynton Beach, Florida.)

Credits. This page was last revised on August 3, 2024. It was originally submitted on August 21, 2023, by Jerry Klinger of Boynton Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 843 times since then and 69 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 21, 2023, by Jerry Klinger of Boynton Beach, Florida. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.