Capt. (temp. Maj.) Lionel Wilmot Brabazon Rees VC, OBE, AFC Royal Artillery and Royal Flying Corps
31 July 1884 – 28 September 1955
Date of Action: 1 July 1916
On the ground, fighting on the Western Front had been static since late 1914, with set piece battles by each side achieving gains measured in yards against casualties counted in the tens of thousands. In 1914, air power was virtually non-existent – aircraft barely able to support the weight of their pilots. First use was for reconnaissance – ‘what is over the next hill?’ – by the pilot taking paper notes. And artillery spotting, dropping target corrections to the artillery.
Then they began to evolve. Reconnaissance aircraft with cameras. But you don’t want to let the enemy see what you are doing. So scout aircraft (now called fighters) to prevent them. And ground attack, with the development of role-specific design: scouts, reconnaissance and ground-support, then finally bombers.
On 1 February 1916, Rees was appointed Commanding Officer, 32 Squadron, then forming at Netheravon, equipped with de Havilland 2 ‘pusher’ scouts. The squadron then moved to France, arriving at its permanent base of Treizennes, Aire, on 7 June.
DH 2 with RFC ground-crew in front, preparing to start engine, RFC, Middle East, 1917 or 1918 (RAF Museum X003/2602/4376)
The date of 1 July 1916 will forever be remembered as the opening of the First Battle of the Somme, with horrendous British casualties; the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s records list 18,620 British/Dominion/Empire soldiers who died in France that day.
The RFC was also fully engaged. At 0600 hrs., Rees and another pilot took off on a patrol to prevent German reconnaissance aircraft observing the developing ground offensive. Rees, flying DH2 serial 6015, was over Double Crassieurs when he observed aircraft approaching, which he misidentified as British bombers when in reality they were a formation of German fighters.
Combat Report by Rees of VC action (RAF Museum AC72/20/15)
The London Gazette Friday 4th August 1916:
‘His Majesty the KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the award of the Victoria Cross to the undermentioned Officer:
Capt. (temp. Maj.) Lionel Wilmot Brabazon Rees, R.A. and R.F.C. For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. Whilst on flying duties, Major Rees sighted what he thought to be a bombing party of our own machines returning home.
He went up to escort them, but on getting nearer discovered they were a party of enemy machines, about ten in all. Major Rees was immediately attacked by one of the machines, and after a short encounter it disappeared behind the enemy lines, damaged.
Five others then attacked him at long range, but these he dispersed on coming to close quarters, after seriously damaging two of the machines. Seeing two others going westwards, he gave chase to them, but on coming nearer he was wounded in the thigh, causing him to lose temporary control of his machine.
He soon righted it, and immediately closed with the enemy, firing at a close-contact range of only a few yards, until all his ammunition was used up. He then. returned home, landing his machine safely in our lines.’
The fierce fighting at the First Battle of the Somme is reflected in the award of a number of VCs, hence the slightly abridged description in the London Gazette, above. A fuller description of Rees’ overall career and the detail of this VC action may be found in Bowyer’s ‘For Valour, the Air VCs’, a copy of which may be studied in the Reading Room of RAF Museum, Hendon.
Rees’ ceremonial officer’s sword (RAF Museum 65/U/737)
Rees continued his RFC, then RAF, career, retiring as a Group Captain in 1931. However, Rees returned to duty in the RAF during 1941-42, before finally retiring to the Bahamas.
His Victoria Cross is held by Imperial War Museum, London.
Grave marker (© The War Graves Photographic Project www.twgpp.org)
He is buried in Nassau War Cemetery.
Credits:
- Citation: The London Gazette 4 August 1916.
- Additional biographical details: For Valour: The Air VCs Chaz Bowyer, Grub Street Publishing.
