Lee was released from his post in Turkey in March 1941, and soon after arriving in Egypt was appointed Senior Officer Administration to Air Vice Marshal John D'Albiac, commander of the British Air Forces in Greece, supporting the Greeks following the Italian invasion. Despite early successes the intervention of the Germans soon put the Allied forces on the defensive, and the British were eventually driven out, first to Crete, then to Egypt. For the rest of 1941 Lee served as a staff officer (operations) in the Headquarters of RAF Middle East Command, then as Deputy Senior Air Staff Officer in the Desert Air Force.