Kenneth Norman Thomson Lee DFC (23 June 1915 – 15 January 2008) was a British flying ace who served with the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War.

Rejoining the squadron after recovery from his injury, Lee had further successes during the Battle of Britain until he was shot down on 18 August.

He left the RAF in late 1945 and worked in East Africa for a trading company for several years before setting a plumbing supplies business in Dublin.

He was educated locally, at King Edward VI High School and after entering the workforce, found employment as a technician in a paint factory.

In early 1937, Lee joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR) and spent two months at No.

[1] At the time, the squadron was based at Filton and operated Hawker Hurricane fighters as part of the aerial defences around Bristol.

[5] Lee, who acquired the nickname 'Hawkeye' on account of his apparent excellent eyesight, shot down a Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighter over Sedan.

On 12 May he destroyed a Dornier Do 17 medium bomber near the Belgian border and this was followed by his destruction of another Bf 110 over Le Chesne the next day.

He landed at Le Mans and although he was repatriated to England, he suffered an injury to his hand which took him off operational flying for some weeks.

From here, it provided aerial cover for the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Cherbourg and then flew on to Croydon, where it reassembled on 21 June.

As the Luftwaffe's campaign progressed, the squadron, which was now based at Gravesend was scrambled multiple times a day to intercept incoming raids.

[5] On 29 July, Lee damaged a Junkers Ju 87 dive bomber near Dover and 12 August destroyed another, over The Downs.

Nearly a week later, on 18 August, he was shot down himself, by the flying ace Gerhard Schöpfel who destroyed four RAF fighters that day.

The citation for the DFC was published in The London Gazette and read: This officer has led his section and flight with marked success.

He has displayed great dash and determination and has destroyed at least six enemy aircraft.In late November, Lee was posted to the Special Duties Flight at Stormy Down where he was expected to fly Supermarine Spitfire fighters for Rolls Royce on high altitude tests.

[14] On 23 July, he was shot down over German-occupied Crete while flying in 'Operation Thesis', a major sortie involving over a hundred Hurricanes on a strafing mission.

[1][6] Rather than remain in the RAF in the postwar period, Lee resigned his commission in December but was able to retain his acting squadron leader rank.