Charles Anthony Lyell, 2nd Baron Lyell
Encyclopedia
Charles Antony Lyell, 2nd Baron Lyell VC
(14 June 1913 – 27 April 1943) was a British
recipient of the Victoria Cross
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
and Commonwealth
forces.
He was the son of Charles Henry Lyell
. Both his father and his grandfather, Leonard Lyell
were Liberal MPs. He succeeded his grandfather as Baron Lyell
in 1926. Between 1936 to his death, Lord Lyell was a member of Boodle's
club in St James's, London.
Lyell was 29 years old, and a temporary captain
in the 1st Battalion, Scots Guards
, British Army
during the Second World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
During the period 22–27 April 1943 near Dj Bou Arada, Tunisia
, Captain Lord Lyell's outstanding leadership and gallantry enabled his company to take its objective. On 27 April accompanied by a sergeant, a lance-corporal and two guardsmen, he led an attack on an enemy post consisting of an 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, three of the party having become casualties, and with the lance-corporal to give covering fire he leapt into the second pit, killing several of the crew before being overwhelmed and killed. Both the guns had been silenced.
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
(14 June 1913 – 27 April 1943) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces.
He was the son of Charles Henry Lyell
Charles Henry Lyell
The Hon. Charles Henry Lyell was a British politician and Liberal Member of Parliament who died in the First World War.He was born in 1875, the only son of Leonard Lyell, and was educated at Eton and New College, Oxford...
. Both his father and his grandfather, Leonard Lyell
Leonard Lyell, 1st Baron Lyell
Leonard Lyell, 1st Baron Lyell Bt was a Scottish Liberal politician.The eldest son of Colonel Henry Lyell and Katherine Horner, he was a nephew of Sir Charles Lyell, 1st Baronet, the geologist....
were Liberal MPs. He succeeded his grandfather as Baron Lyell
Baron Lyell
Baron Lyell, of Kinnordy in the County of Forfar, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1914 for the Scottish Liberal politician Sir Leonard Lyell, 1st Baronet. He had already been created a Baronet, of Kinnordy in the County of Forfar, in 1894. He was succeeded by his...
in 1926. Between 1936 to his death, Lord Lyell was a member of Boodle's
Boodle's
Boodle's is a London gentlemen's club, founded in 1762, at 49-51 Pall Mall, London by Lord Shelburne the future Marquess of Lansdowne and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and the club came to be known after the name of its head waiter Edward Boodle....
club in St James's, London.
Lyell was 29 years old, and a temporary captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
in the 1st Battalion, Scots Guards
Scots Guards
The Scots Guards is a regiment of the Guards Division of the British Army, whose origins lie in the personal bodyguard of King Charles I of England and Scotland...
, British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
during the Second World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
During the period 22–27 April 1943 near Dj Bou Arada, Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
, Captain Lord Lyell's outstanding leadership and gallantry enabled his company to take its objective. On 27 April accompanied by a sergeant, a lance-corporal and two guardsmen, he led an attack on an enemy post consisting of an 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, three of the party having become casualties, and with the lance-corporal to give covering fire he leapt into the second pit, killing several of the crew before being overwhelmed and killed. Both the guns had been silenced.