Ernest Lee. 
301 
placed he would have remained the true democrat he was in thought 
and in action: he can be written as one who loved his fellow men. 
As a botanist he was only just getting into his stride. Besides 
the paper on leaf-fail he had published two on seedling anatomy. 1 
He was not one of those fortunates who are botanically nursed 
before going up to a University and then spoon-fed afterwards. 
He was what he was of his own ability and energy and was rapidly 
approaching botanical maturity when, after the gradual throwing 
off of what I imagine were the effects of previous struggles, he 
would be prepared to give whole hearted attention to some 
difficult botfinical problem. 
Just when matters were opening out for him the war 
commenced. He was always keen on the O.T.C., which he joined 
on going to Leeds, and was thus able to help in its organization 
when hostilities broke out, taking charge of the musketry. 
Loathing war as one of the deadly sins, he was happy in the 
knowledge that he was “ fit ” : fitness in mind and in body for 
himself and for others with the opportunity to be so was one of 
his ideals. Early in Septemper, 1914, he was gazetted to the 4th 
Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding) Regiment. He was made 
machine gun officer, promoted full lieutenant at the end of the 
month and was already marked out for further promotion. In 
November, 1914, he married Miss H. S. Chambers, Lecturer in 
Botany at Royal Holloway College, and in April, 1915, he went to 
France. On July 10th a bullet passed through the parapet of the 
trench and penetrated his head. He died within two hours without 
regaining consciousness. From letters received he was the same 
“ old Lee ” to his men and brother officers that he was to many of 
us. Whatever hurly-burly might be afoot he was cool, clear, 
shrewd, courageous, discerning the essence of the situation and 
master of himself. Ernest Lee gave his life for his ideals. 
J. R. 
1 Ann. Bot. xxvi, p. 727 (1912) and xxvii, p. 303 (1914). 
