REME MUSEUM of TECHNOLOGY

"For most conspicuous bravery and skilful leading during the operation north of Cambrai. On 27th September 1918, whilst leading his platoon against Bourlon Wood, he rendered invaluable support to the leading company, which was held up by a strong point, which he captured by a flank movement, together with thirteen prisoners, one field gun and four machine guns. Later, his platoon, now much weakened by casualties, was held up by machine guns at the southern end of Bourlon Wood. Collecting any men available, he led them towards the strong point and, springing forward alone, rushed the position single handed and killed the officer in charge, subsequently capturing at this point forty five prisoners and five machine guns. Having made good his final objective, with a further capture of forty seven prisoners, he consolidated his position and thus protected the remainder of the company.

On 1st October, in the neighbourhood of Blecourt, when in command of a weak company, by skilful dispositions he captured a strongly defended position, which yielded sixty prisoners and seventeen machine guns. During two days of operations Lt Lyall captured in all, three officers, 182 other ranks, twenty-six machine guns and one field gun, exclusive of heavy casualties inflicted. He showed throughout the utmost valour and high powers of command."

Graham Thomson Lyall was born in Manchester on 8th March 1892, the son of Rev Robert Henry Lyall and Agnes Lisette Lyall. After qualifying as a mechanical engineer, he lived and worked in Canada, enlisting in the Canadian Canal Guard in September 1914, shortly after the outbreak of the First World War

In September 1915, Lyall was posted to the 81st Infantry Battalion and promoted to the rank of Corporal. On his return to England, he reverted to Private rank and was posted in June 1916 to France. Serving then with the 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles, he was rapidly promoted through the ranks until, for conspicuous bravery in action, he was commissioned as a Lieutenant in April 1917.

In the following year, aged 26, Lieutenant Lyall was awarded the VC during operations in France, north of Cambrai, with the 102nd Battalion, 2nd Central Ontario Regiment. On 27th September he had captured a strong point, and later rushed a machine gun position by himself, capturing more prisoners and machine guns; four days later he captured a further strong point with yet more prisoners and machine guns. The award was gazetted on 14th December 1918, and King George V decorated Lyall personally on 15th March 1919 at Buckingham Palace.

In the late 1930s Major Lyall, as an Ordnance Mechanical Engineer, successfully formed and commanded a Territorial Company of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps. The appropriate RAOC personnel transferred to the Corps of REME on its formation in 1942.

Major Lyall was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in May 1940 and volunteered for overseas service; he left for the Middle East soon after, being promoted to Colonel in October 1940. Whilst attached to the General Staff, he commanded the 88th Lines of Communication.

Colonel Graham Thomson Lyall died whilst on active service in the Western Desert on 28th November 1941, aged 49. He is buried in the Halfaya Sollum War Cemetery.

Coronation
Medal
1937

Coronation
Medal
1911

War
Medal
1939-45

Africa
Star
 

1939-45
Star
 

Victory
Medal
& Oakleaf

British
War Medal
1914-20

Victoria
Cross
 

The Victoria Cross, instituted in January 1856, is available to all ranks in the three armed services and has been awarded since Autumn 1854. The award was allegedly created on the suggestion of Prince Albert and approved by Queen Victoria in 1856.

Victoria Crosses are made from the bronze of Russian guns that were captured at Sebastopol during the Crimean War.

Originally, Naval VCs had a dark blue ribbon and the Army a crimson ribbon. This changed shortly before the RAF was formed in 1918, when the King approved that all recipients should wear the crimson ribbon; all Victoria Crosses now have a crimson ribbon.

To date, 1354 awards have been made, of which 1350 have been made to individuals. Second award bars have been awarded three times and a VC has been awarded to the United States Unknown Soldier. 837 awards have been made to the British Army, 49 to the RAF, 2 to the Fleet Air Arm, 119 to the Royal Navy (including the Royal Marines, RNR & RNVR) and four to civilians. The remaining balance is made up from the commonwealth forces. No awards have been made since the Falklands conflict in 1982; a VC has not yet been awarded to a woman.

The date of the act for which the decoration was awarded is engraved in a centre circle on the reverse of the decoration.