Education
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Wellington College; Royal Military College, Sandhurst.
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Wellington College; Royal Military College, Sandhurst.
Educated at Wellington College and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, Lees was commissioned into the Royal West Kent Regiment in 1914 at the start of the First World War. He became a pilot in 1915 and while serving on the Western Front was wounded and taken prisoner in 1917. After the War he transferred to the new Royal Air Force and in 1928 became Officer Commanding Number.
56 Squadron.
He was appointed Officer Commanding Number. 1 (Indian Wing) in 1932, Station Commander at Royal Air Force Driffield in 1938 and then joined the staff at Headquarters Royal Air Force Bomber Command in 1939. He served in the Second World War as Air Officer Commanding Number.
2 Group from 1941, Air Officer Commanding Number.
222 (General Reconnaissance) Group from 1942 and Air Officer Administration at Headquarters Air Command South East Asia from 1944. After the War he became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Royal Air Force Reserve Command before retiring in 1949.
In that role he introduced a tie and trophy for members of the Air Training Corps.