Orders, Decorations and Medals

British South Africa Company Medal 1890-97, reverse Mashonaland 1897 (279 Troopr. A. H. Lyon, B.S.A. Police) edge bruising, very fine £240-280

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of medals awarded to those having the surname 'Lyon'.

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Alfred Herbert Lyon was born in 1873, the son of Alfred Lyon, a Landowner and Magistrate, living at Middlecott in Ilsington, Devonshire. Alfred Herbert Lyon first served as a young Lieutenant in the 4th Derby (Sherwood Forresters) Militia, from which he resigned in 1894 ‘on taking up other professional duties’. In November 1896 he embarked for Salisbury, Rhodesia, and attested for the British South Africa Police in December, signing on for 12 months. He served as a Trooper at Umtalli and Melsetter through the Mashonaland Rebellion, and was discharged in December 1897 when his period of engagement expired. The Imperial Yeomanry was established in December 1899, and the first contingent attracted members of the gentry, who had to provide their own horses, clothing, saddlery and accoutrements. Lyon, then employed as a Schoolmaster, signed on as Private 6520 with the 27th (Devonshire) Company of the 7th Battalion which served in South Africa from February 1900 to Mid-1901. His papers show service at ‘Constanta’ and ‘Wepener’. Returning to England, by 1906 Lyon was married and was employed as a Teacher at Arden School in Tormoham. During the Great War, he applied for a commission in January 1917, was accepted to the Officer Cadet Battalion at Cambridge. In August 1917 he was granted a temporary commission with the Labour Corps and entered France in March 1918. In June he was transferred to the 11th Battalion Cameron Highlanders, and in November was appointed Acting Captain and given command of a Labour Corps Company detailed to guard prisoners-of-war. Demobilised on 29 October 1919, he was permitted to retain the rank of Captain. In 1936 Lyon was living at Foxleaze, North Lane, Rustington. There, he applied for a replacement B.S.A. Company Medal. He was informed that one could be supplied at a cost of 18 shillings but six months later he replied that he had been totally unable to earn anything since a severe illness and asked for time to raise the money. Alfred Herbert Lyon died of a cerebral haemorrhage in 1939, at the hospital in College Lane, Chichester. At that time he was a Private Schoolmaster, living at Wiston Rectory.

With copied service papers and other research. Note: The above medal is the recipient’s original issue.