World War II Victoria Cross Recipient. He is remembered for the heroic actions during World War II. Since his father died before his grandfather, he was the 2nd Baron to his grandfather, Lord Lyell, and served as a temporary captain in the 1st Battalion, Scott's Guard, British Army. On April 27, 1943, during an attack near Dj Bou Arada, Tunisia, Captain Lyell's company was held back by heavy Nazi artillery and machine gun fire. With a small detail of men, he led an attack on an enemy post consisting of a 88mm gun and a heavy machine-gun in two separate pits. He destroyed the crew of the machine-gun with a hand grenade, and then with his detail giving covering fire, he leaped into the second pit, killing several Nazi soldiers and silencing the gun before being killed. For most prestigious gallantry, he was posthumously awarded the highest honor for English military, the Victoria Cross, on August 12 1943. When he died, he was married and had a four-year-old son. Lyell was a great grandnephew of noted geologist, Sir Charles Lyell.
World War II Victoria Cross Recipient. He is remembered for the heroic actions during World War II. Since his father died before his grandfather, he was the 2nd Baron to his grandfather, Lord Lyell, and served as a temporary captain in the 1st Battalion, Scott's Guard, British Army. On April 27, 1943, during an attack near Dj Bou Arada, Tunisia, Captain Lyell's company was held back by heavy Nazi artillery and machine gun fire. With a small detail of men, he led an attack on an enemy post consisting of a 88mm gun and a heavy machine-gun in two separate pits. He destroyed the crew of the machine-gun with a hand grenade, and then with his detail giving covering fire, he leaped into the second pit, killing several Nazi soldiers and silencing the gun before being killed. For most prestigious gallantry, he was posthumously awarded the highest honor for English military, the Victoria Cross, on August 12 1943. When he died, he was married and had a four-year-old son. Lyell was a great grandnephew of noted geologist, Sir Charles Lyell.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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