Lord, Charles Anthony Lyell
Captain, 1st Battalion. Scots Guards
- Register No.
- 759 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Captain all Captains →
- Unit
- 1st Battalion. Scots Guards all Scots Guards VCs →
- Date of action
- 22–27 April 1943 on this day → all of 1943 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Second World War
- London Gazette
- 12th August 1943 on this day → all of 1943 →
- Born
- 14th June 1913 at Cadogan Gardens, London
- Died
- in action on 27th April 1943 at Di Bou Arara, Tunisia
- Award
- Posthumous all posthumous VCs →
- Memorial / grave
- at Massicault War Cemetery, Tunisia
Digest of citation
Between the 22nd and 27th April 1943, Captain The Lord Lyell commanded his company near Di Bou Arara, in Tunisia. With great gallantry and exceptional leadership he led his men down a slope to repel a German counter-attack whilst under extremely heavy mortar fire. He led his company again, under heavy fire, on 23rd April to capture and consolidate the high point, holding this point through a period of heavy shelling, heat and lack of water. It was during this time that he kept up the morale of his men and their fighting spirit threw his cheerful energy. Using the field telephone he was able to direct artillery fire on to enemy tanks and positions. On the evening of the 27th April, 1943, being held up in the foothills, Captain Lord Lyell assembled the only available men, a sergeant, Lance-Corporal and at two guardsmen and led then in an attack on the post which was comprised of an 88 millimetre gun and a heavy machine gun firing from individual pits. Well in advance of his party, he placed a grenade neatly into the Machine-Gun pit killing the crew. His own Sergeant was killed and the two guardsmen wounded. Giving Lord Lyell covering fire, the Lance-Corporal allowed Lord Lyell to run forward towards the 88 mm gun pit. He had acted so swiftly, that he had time to kill some of them with the bayonet, before being overpowered and killed. The remainder of the enemy crew left and both of the guns were silenced
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
LYELL, Lord, Charles Anthony. (reg No. 759).
Captain. 1st Battalion. Scots Guards.
London Gazetted on 12th August 1943.
Born on 14th June 1913 at Cadogan Gardens, London.
Killed in action on 27th April 1943 at Di Bou Arara, Tunisia.
Memorial on grave at Massicault War Cemetery, Tunisia.
Digest of Citation reads:. Between the 22nd and 27th April 1943, Captain The Lord Lyell commanded his company near Di Bou Arara, in Tunisia. With great gallantry and exceptional leadership he led his men down a slope to repel a German counter-attack whilst under extremely heavy mortar fire. He led his company again, under heavy fire, on 23rd April to capture and consolidate the high point, holding this point through a period of heavy shelling, heat and lack of water. It was during this time that he kept up the morale of his men and their fighting spirit threw his cheerful energy. Using the field telephone he was able to direct artillery fire on to enemy tanks and positions. On the evening of the 27th April, 1943, being held up in the foothills, Captain Lord Lyell assembled the only available men, a sergeant, Lance-Corporal and at two guardsmen and led then in an attack on the post which was comprised of an 88 millimetre gun and a heavy machine gun firing from individual pits. Well in advance of his party, he placed a grenade neatly into the Machine-Gun pit killing the crew. His own Sergeant was killed and the two guardsmen wounded. Giving Lord Lyell covering fire, the Lance-Corporal allowed Lord Lyell to run forward towards the 88 mm gun pit. He had acted so swiftly, that he had time to kill some of them with the bayonet, before being overpowered and killed. The remainder of the enemy crew left and both of the guns were silenced.
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Alf recorded the memorial as: at Massicault War Cemetery, Tunisia
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