David Murray-Lyon
Encyclopedia
Major-General David Murrey Murray-Lyon, DSO & Bar
, MC
, (14 August 1890 – 4 February 1975) was an officer in the Indian Army
. His final appointment was as the commanding officer of Indian 11th Infantry Division in Malaya
until sacked by General Percival
. He was taken prisoner when Singapore fell to the Japanese, and spent the rest of the war in captivity.
, Northumberland
on 14 August 1890, the eldest son of Dr Thomas Malcolm Lyon, and a grandson of David Murray Lyon of Ayr, Scotland. He married Meredith Napier in 1916, they had two daughters and one son.
in 1908. He transferred to the 3rd Battalion (Depot), King's Own Scottish Borderers
, as part of the reserve of officers, in 1910. In 1911 Murray-Lyon became a regular army officer and was transferred to the 1st Battalion, Highland Light Infantry
based in Lucknow
, India
.
in 1914 many British regiments based around the world returned to join the fighting on the Western Front
, the Highland Light Infantry returned in late 1914 and was in the trenches by the beginning of 1915. During the battles of 1915 Murray-Lyon was promoted to Temporary Captain and wounded twice and was Mentioned in Dispatches
and received the Military Cross
for his actions in Flanders
. After recovering from his wounds he was based in England
during 1916 as a Major and Adjudant of the 4th Battalion.
Murray-Lyon returned to France
in December 1916 as second-in-command of the 2nd Battalion. He remained in the front lines throughout 1916 and most of 1917 with this battalion. In November 1917 he was given command of a battalion of the King's Regiment (Liverpool) . While in command of this battalion he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
for his actions during an attack on his battalion trenches at Moeuvres , the citation read:
"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. When the enemy attacked and penetrated the line after intense fighting and continual bombing attacks, by his courage and personal example he succeeded in driving them out and held his position against further heavy attacks with splendid coolness and determination."
Between 1917 and 1918 he was Mentioned in Despatches three times for his actions as a battalion commander. In April 1918 he was promoted to Temporary-Lieutenant Colonel and took command of the 2nd Battalion of the Highland Light Infantry. In June 1918 he was given command of the 1st/15th Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers
. He commanded this battalion through the rest of the war.
after the First World War Murray-Lyon, along with many other officers, found commands few and far between and had their rank reduced, so Murray-Lyon became a Major again. He returned to the Highland Light Infantry and became adjudant of the 6th Battalion in 1920 and later with the 2nd Battalion he held various posts in their advance parties and auxiliary forces based in Egypt
and India
. In 1927 he transferred across to the British Indian Army
and in 1932 he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and took command of the 2nd Battalion, 4th Prince of Wales's Own Gurkha Rifles
.
In 1936 during fighting in Waziristan
on the North West Frontier Murray-Lyon received a second DSO. He commanded the 2/4th Gurkha Rifles until 1939 when he became the Liaison Officer for the Indian Army in Scotland
.
Murray-Lyon returned to India and was given command of the Zhob
Brigade, a regionally based command, in 1940. In October 1940 he was given command of the newly formed Indian 11th Infantry Division .
ese attacked Pearl Harbor
on 7 December 1941 they had already sent an invasion force to attack the British forces based in Malaya . Murray-Lyon's 11th Indian Division was based in the Northeast of Malaya, focused on the border with Thailand
. Although the British Army in Malaya was expecting the Japanese invasion and had even prepared defences and plans for counter attacks, they still were over-confident and massively ill-prepared to face the highly disciplined, organised and battle experienced Japanese Army
. Murray-Lyon's division looked good on paper but in reality it consisted of two regular British Army battalions (The Leicestershire Regiment and the East Surrey Regiment
) , the back bone of the division, four newly raised and half trained Indian Army
battalions and three Gurkha battalions, one of which consisted of 18-year olds who had only recently arrived in Malaya. There were no tanks in the entire peninsula and a chronic shortage of aircraft. With this Murray-Lyon faced the Japanese attacks that came through southern Thailand in early December 1941.
The Japanese assaulted Murray-Lyon's positions with incredible speed. Tanks, aircraft and infantry attacked in waves and constantly out-flanked any resistance. Before long the 11th Division was in full retreat with the Japanese advancing so rapidly that their reconnaissance motor-cyclists were often driving through the retreating columns. On one occasion Murray-Lyon was fast enough to draw his service revolver and shoot one off his motorcycle.
Unfortunately for Murray-Lyon, the true extent of the ill-prepared defences of Malaya and the rapid mobility of the Japanese Army had not been discovered by the British commanders in Singapore
, and as a result, he was dismissed from his command by General Percival on 23 December 1941.
Murray-Lyon was taken prisoner by the Japanese when Singapore fell, and spent the rest of the war in captivity. Although a brave and competent commander he was not offered another command much to the surprise of other Indian Army officers.
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
, (14 August 1890 – 4 February 1975) was an officer in the Indian Army
British Indian Army
The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...
. His final appointment was as the commanding officer of Indian 11th Infantry Division in Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
until sacked by General Percival
Arthur Ernest Percival
Lieutenant-General Arthur Ernest Percival, CB, DSO & Bar, OBE, MC, OStJ, DL was a British Army officer and World War I veteran...
. He was taken prisoner when Singapore fell to the Japanese, and spent the rest of the war in captivity.
Early life
Murray-Lyon was born in GlendaleGlendale, Northumberland
Glendale is the name of a valley in North Northumberland that runs from the Cheviot Hills at Kirknewton onto the Milfield Plain, formed by the River Glen. However, the name is generally taken to indicate the area around the town of Wooler....
, Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
on 14 August 1890, the eldest son of Dr Thomas Malcolm Lyon, and a grandson of David Murray Lyon of Ayr, Scotland. He married Meredith Napier in 1916, they had two daughters and one son.
Military service
Murray-Lyon was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Territorial Army in the Royal Garrison ArtilleryRoyal Garrison Artillery
The Royal Garrison Artillery was an arm of the Royal Artillery that was originally tasked with manning the guns of the British Empire's forts and fortresses, including coastal artillery batteries, the heavy gun batteries attached to each infantry division, and the guns of the siege...
in 1908. He transferred to the 3rd Battalion (Depot), King's Own Scottish Borderers
King's Own Scottish Borderers
The King's Own Scottish Borderers was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Scottish Division.-History:It was raised on 18 March 1689 by the Earl of Leven to defend Edinburgh against the Jacobite forces of James II. It is said that 800 men were recruited within the space of two hours...
, as part of the reserve of officers, in 1910. In 1911 Murray-Lyon became a regular army officer and was transferred to the 1st Battalion, Highland Light Infantry
Highland Light Infantry
The Highland Light Infantry was a regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1959. In 1923 the regimental title was expanded to the Highland Light Infantry ...
based in Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
The Great War
After the out break of World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
in 1914 many British regiments based around the world returned to join the fighting on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
, the Highland Light Infantry returned in late 1914 and was in the trenches by the beginning of 1915. During the battles of 1915 Murray-Lyon was promoted to Temporary Captain and wounded twice and was Mentioned in Dispatches
Mentioned in Dispatches
A soldier Mentioned in Despatches is one whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which is described the soldier's gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy.In a number of countries, a soldier's name must be mentioned in...
and received the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
for his actions in Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
. After recovering from his wounds he was based in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
during 1916 as a Major and Adjudant of the 4th Battalion.
Murray-Lyon returned to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in December 1916 as second-in-command of the 2nd Battalion. He remained in the front lines throughout 1916 and most of 1917 with this battalion. In November 1917 he was given command of a battalion of the King's Regiment (Liverpool) . While in command of this battalion he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
for his actions during an attack on his battalion trenches at Moeuvres , the citation read:
"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. When the enemy attacked and penetrated the line after intense fighting and continual bombing attacks, by his courage and personal example he succeeded in driving them out and held his position against further heavy attacks with splendid coolness and determination."
Between 1917 and 1918 he was Mentioned in Despatches three times for his actions as a battalion commander. In April 1918 he was promoted to Temporary-Lieutenant Colonel and took command of the 2nd Battalion of the Highland Light Infantry. In June 1918 he was given command of the 1st/15th Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers
Royal Scots Fusiliers
-The Earl of Mar's Regiment of Foot :The regiment was raised in Scotland in 1678 by Stuart loyalist Charles Erskine, de jure 5th Earl of Mar for service against the rebel covenanting forces during the Second Whig Revolt . They were used to keep the peace and put down brigands, mercenaries, and...
. He commanded this battalion through the rest of the war.
1919–1939
Due to the down-sizing of the British ArmyBritish 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...
after the First World War Murray-Lyon, along with many other officers, found commands few and far between and had their rank reduced, so Murray-Lyon became a Major again. He returned to the Highland Light Infantry and became adjudant of the 6th Battalion in 1920 and later with the 2nd Battalion he held various posts in their advance parties and auxiliary forces based in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. In 1927 he transferred across to the British Indian Army
British Indian Army
The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...
and in 1932 he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and took command of the 2nd Battalion, 4th Prince of Wales's Own Gurkha Rifles
4th Prince of Wales's Own Gurkha Rifles
The 4 Gorkha Rifles is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. It was originally raised in 1857 as part of the British Indian Army, but after India's independence in 1947 it was one of six Gurkha regiments transferred to the Indian Army...
.
In 1936 during fighting in Waziristan
Waziristan
Waziristan is a mountainous region near the Northwest of Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering some 11,585 km² . The area is entirely populated by ethnic Pashtuns . The language spoken in the valley is Pashto/Pakhto...
on the North West Frontier Murray-Lyon received a second DSO. He commanded the 2/4th Gurkha Rifles until 1939 when he became the Liaison Officer for the Indian Army in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
Second World War
After the out break of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Murray-Lyon returned to India and was given command of the Zhob
Zhob
-Roads:Zhob is 333 kilometers from Quetta, 225 kilometers from Dera Ismail Khan. However, the road linking with Dera Ismail Khan is for most part fair nowadays track passing through water streams and almost complete road is metalloid....
Brigade, a regionally based command, in 1940. In October 1940 he was given command of the newly formed Indian 11th Infantry Division .
Malaya
When the JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese attacked Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
on 7 December 1941 they had already sent an invasion force to attack the British forces based in Malaya . Murray-Lyon's 11th Indian Division was based in the Northeast of Malaya, focused on the border with Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. Although the British Army in Malaya was expecting the Japanese invasion and had even prepared defences and plans for counter attacks, they still were over-confident and massively ill-prepared to face the highly disciplined, organised and battle experienced Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
. Murray-Lyon's division looked good on paper but in reality it consisted of two regular British Army battalions (The Leicestershire Regiment and the East Surrey Regiment
East Surrey Regiment
The East Surrey Regiment was a regiment in the British Army formed in 1881 from the amalgamation of the 31st Regiment of Foot and the 70th Regiment of Foot...
) , the back bone of the division, four newly raised and half trained Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
battalions and three Gurkha battalions, one of which consisted of 18-year olds who had only recently arrived in Malaya. There were no tanks in the entire peninsula and a chronic shortage of aircraft. With this Murray-Lyon faced the Japanese attacks that came through southern Thailand in early December 1941.
The Japanese assaulted Murray-Lyon's positions with incredible speed. Tanks, aircraft and infantry attacked in waves and constantly out-flanked any resistance. Before long the 11th Division was in full retreat with the Japanese advancing so rapidly that their reconnaissance motor-cyclists were often driving through the retreating columns. On one occasion Murray-Lyon was fast enough to draw his service revolver and shoot one off his motorcycle.
Unfortunately for Murray-Lyon, the true extent of the ill-prepared defences of Malaya and the rapid mobility of the Japanese Army had not been discovered by the British commanders in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, and as a result, he was dismissed from his command by General Percival on 23 December 1941.
Murray-Lyon was taken prisoner by the Japanese when Singapore fell, and spent the rest of the war in captivity. Although a brave and competent commander he was not offered another command much to the surprise of other Indian Army officers.