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Oliver A. Lee

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Oliver Lee
Lee addressing staff at The Challenge in 2019
BornBirmingham, England
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service / branchRoyal Marines
Years of service1996–2014
RankColonel
Commands45 Commando
Battles / warsThe Troubles
Bosnian War
Iraq War
War in Afghanistan
AwardsOfficer of the Order of the British Empire

Member of the Order of the British Empire

Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service
Alma materCambridge University

Colonel Oliver Andrew Lee, OBE is a former senior Royal Marines officer and subsequently chief executive.

Early life and education

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The eldest child of six children, Lee was brought up in Birmingham.[1][2] He was educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham,[3][4] and Jesus College, Cambridge.[2]

Career

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Lee undertook Royal Marines officer training in 1996, winning the sword of honour and commando medal.[2] He subsequently served in Bosnia, Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan.[2][5] He also worked in the private office staff of the Chief of the Defence Staff, Admiral Sir Michael Boyce, from 2000 to 2002, and defence minister Bob Ainsworth from 2007 to 2009.[2] He commanded 45 Commando[6] on Operation Herrick 14 in Afghanistan in 2011,[2][7][8][9] during which he was promoted to full colonel, the youngest since the Second World War.[2][3][10] Lee's chapter in the 2024 Bloomsbury book, Ground Truth,[11] describes the difference in approach and performance of 45 Commando Group on Operation Herrick 14.

In 2013 Lee resigned from the Royal Marines on principle over the Sergeant Blackman (Marine A) Helmand Province Killing.[2][12][13][10][14] Lee believed that Blackman had been inadequately led. He gave evidence at the Royal Courts of Justice in 2017, where Blackman's original conviction of murder was reduced to manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility.[2][15][10][16]

Lee has since spoken strongly against any form of immorality on military operations, battlefield atrocities in particular.[17][18] Concurrently, he has been a powerful advocate for Afghan people who supported the coalition forces in the country. In 2021, following the fall of Kabul to the Taleban, he was reunited after ten years with his interpreter who had fled to the United Kingdom from Afghanistan with his family.[19]

Following his resignation in 2013, Lee retired from the Royal Marines in 2014. He then became the chief executive of The Challenge for five and a half years.[20] The Challenge was a large, award-winning, social enterprise delivering residential courses, principally flowing from government contracts, for teenagers to improve their understanding of others and their preparedness for adult life. The organisation grew fast under Lee's tenure but entered administration in 2019 owing to a series of contractual disputes with the National Citizen Service Trust (NCS Trust).[21] The Challenge launched a related bid in the high court into what its chairman described as a 'national scandal', but subsequently an alternative agreement was reached.[22][23][24]

From 2022 until 2023 Lee worked for Places for People as the chief executive of one of its subsidiaries, Places Leisure, a 6,500 person (1,760 FTE), non-dividend company, dedicated to enabling health and fitness in more active communities.[25]

In 2023, Lee delivered a tribute in Westminster Abbey at the Memorial Service for Admiral of the Fleet Lord Boyce.[26]

In 2024, Lee was appointed interim chief executive of the West Midlands Fire Service, a 1900 person organisation and the second largest in the country, dedicated to creating a safer, stronger and healthier community. There had been a number of alleged legacy scandals which resulted in Lee giving a news conference to address the issues and move the service forward.[27]

Honours

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Lee was awarded the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in Iraq in 2003.[5] He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 2007,[28] and then advanced to Officer of the Order of the British Empire.[29][30] These two awards were for operational leadership and service in Afghanistan.

Personal life

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Lee's father, His Honour Judge Malcolm Lee QC, died of a heart attack in 1999 whilst serving as the Birmingham Mercantile Judge.[1] His brother, Adrian, died of suicide in 2003.[31]

Lee is married with two children.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Judge dies on tennis court. – Free Online Library". www.thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Simon, Akam (2021). The Changing of the Guard. Scribe.
  3. ^ a b Layton, Josh (2015-09-11). "Alexander Blackman jail row – Birmingham-educated colonel quits in protest". BirminghamLive. Retrieved 2021-09-26.
  4. ^ "Biennial Dinner 2014". www.oldeds.kes.org.uk. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  5. ^ a b "Page 4 | Supplement 57100, 31 October 2003 | London Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  6. ^ "Royal Marine 'bully' claim at RM Condor investigated". BBC News. 2010-06-29. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  7. ^ "45 Commando build on the peace in Afghanistan". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  8. ^ "'Our real success is that all of us are going home'". www.standard.co.uk. 2012-04-12. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  9. ^ "Former Royal Marine reunited with Afghan interpreter after decade apart and escape from Taliban". Channel 4 News. 2021-09-09. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  10. ^ a b c "Alexander Blackman's company was out of control, claims former comrade". the Guardian. 2017-03-15. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  11. ^ ""Ground Truth, The Moral Component in Contemporary British Warfare"".
  12. ^ "War, justice and the real story behind 'Marine A'". British GQ. 2021-04-03. Retrieved 2021-09-26.
  13. ^ Sean O'Neill. "Top brass were warned about 'out of control' Marine unit". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  14. ^ "Marine A: missed warnings and a lack of leadership – the untold story of Sgt Blackman's unit". Channel 4 News. 2016-12-21. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  15. ^ "Judges quash UK marine Alexander Blackman's murder conviction". the Guardian. 2017-03-15. Retrieved 2021-09-26.
  16. ^ "Blackman, R. v [2014] EWCA Crim 1029 (22 May 2014)". www.bailii.org. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  17. ^ "Panorama review — a relentless investigation into SAS 'death squads'". The Times.
  18. ^ "SAS repeatedly killed Afghan detainees".
  19. ^ "Former Royal Marine reunited with Afghan interpreter after decade apart and escape from Taliban".
  20. ^ Lander, Edward. "Craig Morley steps down as chief executive of The Challenge". Third Sector. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  21. ^ "Youth charity The Challenge goes into administration". Third Sector. 27 November 2019. Retrieved 2024-08-08.
  22. ^ "The Challenge appoints administrator and accuses NCS Trust of 'national scandal'". www.civilsociety.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-08-08.
  23. ^ "The Challenge begins legal battle against the National Citizens Service Trust". www.civilsociety.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-08-08.
  24. ^ Newsdesk (2019-03-13). "Ten years of The Challenge". Charity Today News. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  25. ^ "Oliver Lee OBE joins Places Leisure as the new CEO".
  26. ^ "Thanksgiving service: Admiral of the Fleet Lord Boyce". The Times. 14 July 2023.
  27. ^ "We are not a scandal-ridden service - West Midlands fire chief". BBC News. 2024-07-16. Retrieved 2024-08-08.
  28. ^ "Marines officer gets MBE honour". 2007-07-19. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  29. ^ "Operational Honours and Awards List: 23 March 2012". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  30. ^ "LEE, Oliver Andrew | ͏". www.commandoveterans.org. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  31. ^ Lord, Craig (2014-06-04). "Interview with Georgina Lee". The Times.
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