George Lyon (sportsman)
Encyclopedia
Admiral Sir George Hamilton D'Oyly Lyon, KCB
(October 3, 1883 – August 19, 1947) was a distinguished Royal Navy
officer as well as an English
sportsman who played first-class cricket
and represented the England national rugby union team
.
, Lyon joined the Navy on 15 June 1899, and saw active service at the Battle of Jutland
, aboard HMS Monarch
.
He was appointed Head of the British Naval Mission to Greece
in 1929 and Commodore commanding the Home Fleet Destroyers in 1932. He went on to be Rear Admiral commanding 3rd Cruiser Squadron in 1935 and Commander-in-Chief of the Africa Station
in 1938 (the Africa Station became the South Atlantic Station
in 1939).
He served in World War II
as Commander-in-Chief, The Nore from 1941 and retired in 1943.
in the 1907 County Championship. On debut, his only significant contribution was dismissing Worcestershire opener Harry Foster while in the other match for Hampshire, he claimed the wicket of Ernest Killick
, of Sussex, after Lyon made his then highest score of 29.
Capped twice for England at rugby union, Lyon was a full-back and made his Test debut at Inverleith, in a loss to Scotland during the 1908 Home Nations Championship
. When he appeared in his second and final Test the following year, it was as captain and against Australia at Blackheath. England once again lost the fixture but were awarding no less than nine players their first Test caps.
His return to first-class cricket in 1911 was much more successful, with an appearance for an Army and Navy cricket team against the Oxford and Cambridge Universities team at Portsmouth. Despite batting down the order at nine, Lyon was the top scorer for the Army and Navy in their first innings, with 90. He then managed career best figures of 4/51 and one of those, Ronald Lagden
, was also an English rugby union international. Lyon's final first-class match came eleven years later when he lined up for the Royal Navy
against the Army
at Lord's. He contributed scores of 22 and 32 but couldn't stop the Army winning by 9 wickets.
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Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(October 3, 1883 – August 19, 1947) was a distinguished Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
officer as well as an English
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...
sportsman who played first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
and represented the England national rugby union team
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
.
Naval career
Educated at Bruton School and at the Royal Naval College, DartmouthBritannia Royal Naval College
Britannia Royal Naval College is the initial officer training establishment of the Royal Navy, located on a hill overlooking Dartmouth, Devon, England. While Royal Naval officer training has taken place in the town since 1863, the buildings which are seen today were only finished in 1905, and...
, Lyon joined the Navy on 15 June 1899, and saw active service at the Battle of Jutland
Battle of Jutland
The Battle of Jutland was a naval battle between the British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet and the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet during the First World War. The battle was fought on 31 May and 1 June 1916 in the North Sea near Jutland, Denmark. It was the largest naval battle and the only...
, aboard HMS Monarch
HMS Monarch (1911)
HMS Monarch was an Orion-class battleship of the Royal Navy. She served in the 2nd Battle Squadron of the Grand Fleet in World War I, and fought at the Battle of Jutland, 31 May 1916, suffering no damage....
.
He was appointed Head of the British Naval Mission to Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
in 1929 and Commodore commanding the Home Fleet Destroyers in 1932. He went on to be Rear Admiral commanding 3rd Cruiser Squadron in 1935 and Commander-in-Chief of the Africa Station
Cape of Good Hope Station
The Cape of Good Hope Station was one of the geographical divisions into which the British Royal Navy divided its worldwide responsibilities. It was formally the units and establishments responsible to the Commander-in-Chief, Cape of Good Hope....
in 1938 (the Africa Station became the South Atlantic Station
South Atlantic Station
The South Atlantic Station was one of the geographical divisions into which the British Royal Navy divided its worldwide responsibilities. It was formed from the former Cape of Good Hope Station.-History:...
in 1939).
He served in World War II
World 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...
as Commander-in-Chief, The Nore from 1941 and retired in 1943.
Sporting career
Lyon, in four first-class cricket matches, made 185 runs at 26.42 and took 7 wickets at 20.00. A right-arm medium pace bowler and right-handed batsman, he played twice for HampshireHampshire County Cricket Club
Hampshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Hampshire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1863 as a successor to the Hampshire county cricket teams and has played at the Antelope Ground from then until 1885, before moving to the County Ground where it...
in the 1907 County Championship. On debut, his only significant contribution was dismissing Worcestershire opener Harry Foster while in the other match for Hampshire, he claimed the wicket of Ernest Killick
Ernest Killick
Ernest Harry Killick was an English first class cricketer who played for Sussex.In 1911, Killick earned an unwanted place in cricket history, when Ted Alletson hit one of his overs for 34 runs...
, of Sussex, after Lyon made his then highest score of 29.
Capped twice for England at rugby union, Lyon was a full-back and made his Test debut at Inverleith, in a loss to Scotland during the 1908 Home Nations Championship
1908 Home Nations Championship
The 1908 Home Nations Championship was the twenty-sixth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 18 January and 21 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales....
. When he appeared in his second and final Test the following year, it was as captain and against Australia at Blackheath. England once again lost the fixture but were awarding no less than nine players their first Test caps.
His return to first-class cricket in 1911 was much more successful, with an appearance for an Army and Navy cricket team against the Oxford and Cambridge Universities team at Portsmouth. Despite batting down the order at nine, Lyon was the top scorer for the Army and Navy in their first innings, with 90. He then managed career best figures of 4/51 and one of those, Ronald Lagden
Ronald Lagden
Ronald Owen Lagden was an English sportsman who played first-class cricket for Oxford University and represented England at rugby union.-Family:...
, was also an English rugby union international. Lyon's final first-class match came eleven years later when he lined up for the Royal Navy
Royal Navy Cricket Club
The Royal Navy Cricket Club is a cricket team representing the British Royal Navy and based at the United Services Recreation Ground, Portsmouth, Hampshire...
against the Army
British Army cricket team
The Army cricket team is a cricket side representing the British Army. The team played a number of first-class matches between 1912 and 1939, although a combined "Army and Navy" side had played two games against a combined Oxford and Cambridge team in 1910 and 1911...
at Lord's. He contributed scores of 22 and 32 but couldn't stop the Army winning by 9 wickets.
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