Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Private W. J. Lyons, Royal Marine Light Infantry

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (W. J. Lyons, Pte., R.M., H.M.S. Gibraltar); British War and Victory Medals (Ch. 14042 Pte. W. J. Lyons, R.M.L.I.), a little polished, otherwise generally very fine (3) £180-220

William John Lyons was born at St. Giles, London in March 1882 and enlisted in the Royal Marine Light Infantry in September 1899. Posted to the Portsmouth Division as a Private, he joined H.M.S. Gibraltar in March 1901, in which capacity he witnessed active service off South Africa (Medal). Having then been discharged in March 1912, he re-enlisted in his old corps in June 1916, when he was appointed a Private in the Chatham Division. And he subsequently witnessed further active service aboard the Repulse from August 1916 until the end of hostilities, not least at the second battle of Heligoland Bight on 17 November 1917, on which occasion Repulse fired 54 15-inch shells and gained at least one hit on the enemy cruiser Konigsberg. He was demobilised in February 1919; sold with copied medal roll verification and service record.