Archive · 26 Oct 2025
Harry Lee: Cricket Legend's Unbelievable Journey from War to the Pitch
Harry Lee was a boy who loved cricket.
He joined the army in World War I and was thought to have died in battle.
But he survived, though badly injured.
Doctors said he would never play cricket again.
Despite this, he fought hard, practiced every day, and eventually returned to play cricket professionally.
He scored many runs and took many wickets in his career.
At the age of 40, he even played a Test match for England!
He faced many challenges, but he kept playing and coaching cricket.
His story shows how someone can overcome great difficulties.
Harry Lee, a Londoner, joined the MCC grounds staff at 15 to pursue his cricket dream.
He was declared dead in WWI after the Battle of Aubers Ridge but survived, injured.
Lee returned to cricket after recovery, facing initial doubts about his ability to play again.
Lee played county cricket and then Test cricket for England at the age of 40.
Despite his achievements, he was denied official recognition by the MCC.
- Who
- Harry Lee, a cricketer from London.
- What
- Lee's remarkable life from being declared dead in WWI to playing Test cricket.
- When
- Born in 1890, fought in WWI, and played cricket until the 1930s.
- Where
- Marylebone, France during WWI, and later England and South Africa.
- Why
- Lee pursued his dream of cricket despite war injuries and setbacks.
- Birthplace
- Marylebone, London, 1890
- Military Service
- 13th Battalion (Kensingtons) in WWI
- Declared Dead
- 1915, after the Battle of Aubers Ridge
- Cricket Career Highlights
- Played for Middlesex, played a Test for England at age 40
- Cricket Stats
- Scored 18,594 runs, took 340 wickets in his career
- Coaching
- Coached the Maharaja of Cooch Behar; coached in South Africa
- Died
- 1980 at age 90