▁the ▁history ▁of ▁Australia ▁that ▁were ▁held ▁in ▁arch ives ▁and ▁libraries ▁around ▁the ▁world . ▁However , ▁this ▁project ▁was ▁interrupted ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁out break ▁of ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁ses qui - cent en ary ▁celebr ations ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 8 ▁( 1 5 0 ▁years ▁since ▁the ▁foundation ▁of ▁British ▁settlement ▁in ▁Australia ), ▁Le es on ▁was ▁published ▁in ▁the ▁Sydney ▁Mor ning ▁Her ald ▁describing ▁the ▁resources ▁available ▁in ▁the ▁collections ▁at ▁the ▁Mitchell ▁Library . ▁Le es on ' s ▁role ▁as ▁the ▁Mitchell ▁L ibr arian ▁was ▁referenced ▁by ▁poet ▁James ▁Mc A ule y ▁in ▁his ▁poem ▁The ▁true ▁discovery ▁of ▁Australia . ▁ ▁Army ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁Le es on ▁joined ▁the ▁Australian ▁Army . ▁She ▁held ▁several ▁positions , ▁first ▁as ▁a ▁research ▁officer , ▁then ▁as ▁captain , ▁and ▁finally ▁as ▁major . ▁She ▁was ▁a ▁key ▁member ▁of ▁Lieutenant - Col onel ▁A . ▁A . ▁Con lon ' s ▁' th ink - t ank ' ▁which ▁included ▁such ▁people ▁as ▁( S ir ) ▁John ▁K err ▁and ▁J . ▁K . ▁Murray . ▁She ▁became ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Director ate ▁of ▁Research ▁and ▁Civil ▁Affairs . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁war ▁Le es on ▁worked ▁for ▁two ▁other ▁important ▁bodies : ▁the ▁Australian ▁School ▁of ▁Pacific ▁Administration ▁and ▁the ▁South ▁Pacific ▁Commission . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁I da ▁Le es on ▁went ▁to ▁N