Notes
His biography on the college website (see references) states: ‘Lord Lyell was the son of the Hon. Charles Henry Lyell and his wife Rosalind Margaret Watney. His father died in 1918 & he succeeded his grandfather in 1926.
He was educated at Eton and Matriculated in 1932. He graduated in 1936. He married Sophie Mary Trafford on July 4th 1938. They had one son.
He joined the 1st Battalion The Scots Guards and in 1940, he moved his wife and son from their house in London to the ancestral home Kinnordy at Kirriemuir, Angus. It had not been a home since 1928. The house had no central heating, and, but for a simple 50 volt generator, no electricity. Lady Lyell set about decorating the rooms one by one, furnishing them in style and had electricity installed in 1950.
In April 1943, the final battles for North Africa were taking place and the Battalion was near Tunis. He was awarded The Victoria Cross, posthumously. The citation in the London Gazette of 12th August, 1943 stated, “From 22nd April, 1943, Captain the Lord Lyell commanded his company with great courage, ability and cheerfulness. He led it down a slope under heavy mortar fire to repel a German counter-attack on 22nd April, and led it again under heavy fire on 23rd April in order to capture and consolidate a high point, which was held through a very arduous period of shelling, heat and shortage of water.
In the evening of 27th April, Lord Lyell's company, while taking part in an attack, was held up by fire from a position which consisted of an 88-millimetre gun and a heavy machine-gun in separate pits. Lord Lyell led four men to attack this position; he was far in front of the others, and destroyed the machine-gun pit with a hand-grenade. Then, aided by covering fire from the only uninjured man of his party, he attacked the 88-millimetre gun pit before its crew could fire more than one shot. He killed a number of them before being overwhelmed and killed himself. The few survivors withdrew and his company was able to advance and take its objective. Lord Lyell's outstanding leadership, gallantry and self-sacrifice enabled his company to carry out its task, which had an important bearing on the success of the battalion and of the brigade”
He is buried in the Massicault War Cemetery, Tunis. Plot V. H. 5. He is also commemorated on the MCC Roll of Honour, on the Kirriemuir War Memorial and on the Barony Church, Kirriemuir Memorial. In addition, he is commemorated on a memorial slab set into the walkway at Cumberland Close, Kirriemuir. This commemorates him and 2 other VC holders from Kirriemuir' - Richard Henry Burton VC (January 29, 1923 – 11 July 1993, who retired to Kirriemuir0 and Charles Melvin VC (2 May 1885 - 17 July 1941).