‘Rex’ Reginald Anthony Lyon

Lieutenant – 1/7th Battalion Duke of Wellington’s Regiment

Died: 13th August 1917

Aged: 27 years old

Killed In Action at Nieuport, Belgium

Reginald (known as ‘Rex’) Lyon was born in 1890 to Thomas and Margaret Lyon. Rex was the youngest of their 10 children; he had four older brothers.

The family lived at 17 Pittville Villas, Cheltenham. Thomas was a Tutor at St. Paul’s Teacher’s Training College. Rex was educated at Cheltenham Grammar School before becoming a pupil architect for four years at the local firm of Chatters and Smithson, 17 Regent Street. He married Emily Ann Clark on 6th November 1916 at St. Luke’s Church and they then lived with her parents at 73 Naunton Crescent.

Emily and Rex moved to Wakefield, where he took up a post with the local council. He was initially granted a commission in the West Riding Division of the Army Cyclists Corps in Wakefield in November 1915, later transferring to the 1/7th Battalion of the Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding) Regiment.

Tragically he was killed in action at Nieuport, Belgium on 13th August 1917 during the Third Battle of Ypres. He is buried at Coxyde Military Cemetery, West Vlaanderen, Belgium. The inscription on his stone reads “Dulce et Decorum Est Pro Patria Mori” – It is sweet and proper to die for one’s country. Here in Cheltenham he is commemorated on the Cheltenham war memorial and the Cheltenham Grammar School Roll of Honour.

Lieutenant ‘REX’ REGINALD ANTHONY LYON

The Fallen