QMS Ben Lyon PLY/X 4487 3 Commando Brigade RM, 40 & 41 Commando Royal Marines

This message was edited 7 times. Last update was at 25/05/2020 00:00:39

Good evening,

Regarding our late Father, Norman Frederick (Ben) Lyon who sadly passed away on 21st June 2013 , we really hope you can help us with filling in the knowledge gaps.

Ply/X 4487 formerly Ply/X 113097 Re-Enlisted 2nd November 1943 Pensioned 2nd July 1966 DoB 28th June 1926

We have attached and enclosed below most of the relevant images and records we have. This seems to deal with his time since re-enlisting (??) but tells us nothing prior to that. Also his service medals have gone missing.

We have vague recollections of our Dad telling us about his first active service as a young Marine onboard ship as a forward gunner, landings in South Italy, Yugoslavia with Tito?s Partisans, D Day landings, France and Germany, the Mediterranean, Middle and Far East, in particular Malaya where he was wounded, but no details or factual information. The service records are extraordinarily vague and it is difficult for a lay-person to access meaningful information.

As a family we accompanied him for a few years to Malta in the late 50?s, returned with him to service in Portsmouth Eastney, Plymouth Bickleigh and back to Eastney which was his final posting.

As a family we would like to understand more about where he served, the units he was part of, any actions he was involved in, the colleagues he would have served with and the sort of difficulties he would have experienced.

One of the images above seems to indicate he was on an aircraft carrier but there is no mention of this.

We do hope you will be able to help us fill in the gaps and look forward to hearing from you..

Kind regards

Martin Lyon

Hi Martin

It is better to have everything on the one message rather than three separate ones so I have reposted this photo and the description you provided here and deleted the other message.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 24/05/2020 12:42:36

Again to keep everything in the one place additional photos posted by Martin Lyon transferred from another message.

QMS Norman Frederick (Ben) Lyon PLY/X 4487 Enlisted 2nd November 1943 - Formerly PLY/X 113097 D.O.B. 28th June 1926

I am trying to find more information about my Dad than is available from the Certificate of Service and Certificate of Discharge. Served in France, Germany, Italy, Yugoslavia, Malaya and Malta so far as I know and would like to know where else. 3 Commando Brigade RM, 40 Commando and 41 Commando. Was on HMS Orion and HMS Aurora plus an unidentified (photo) Aircraft Carrier. Wounded in Malaya 17th May 1949. Pensioned off 2nd July 1966.

I would be grateful for any assistance - Martin Lyon

Life in the jungle during the Malaya Emergency.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 24/05/2020 18:58:05

Marines in peace time.

Switching to a Technical role.

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 25/05/2020 00:03:02

Trying to find information about my Dad's service, before re-enlistment and filling in the gaps and details of the service record, who he served with and where, any action he experienced and that sort of thing, would appreciate any contact and assistance.

QMS Norman Frederick (Ben) Lyon DoB: 28th June 1926 passed away on 21st June 2013.
Service No: PLY/X 4487 Formerly PLY/X 113094 (7)?

Plymouth Re-Enlisted 02-Nov-43
Plymouth Div A Marine 19-Sep-44 01-Nov-44
St Angelo (VTC) A Marine 02-Nov-44 22-Dec-44
HMS Orion A Marine 23-Dec-44 08-Mar-45
HMS Orion A Marine 09-Mar-45 25-Jun-45
Fareham A Marine 26-Jun-45 20-Jan-46
HMS Aurora A Marine 21-Jan-46 02-Sep-46
Plymouth Div A Marine 03-Sep-46 14-Apr-47
RM Bks Stonehouse G Corporal(D) 15-Apr-47 25-Nov-47
ITC RM G Corporal 26-Nov-47 23-Sep-48
TTC RM (ITCRM) Corporal 24-Sep-48 15-Oct-48
ITCRM Corporal 16-Oct-48 22-Oct-48
TTCRM Corporal 23-Oct-48 04-Nov-48
RM Bks Eastney Corporal 05-Nov-48 09-Dec-48
RM Bks Eastney Sig Sch Corporal 10-Dec-48 12-Mar-50 17-May-49 Granted Hurt Certificate
RM Bks Plymouth Corporal 13-Mar-50 12-Apr-50
3 Cdo Bde (40 Cdo) Corporal 13-Apr-50 13-Sep-50
On Passage Corporal 14-Sep-50 12-Oct-50
TTC RM Bks Eastney Corporal 13-Oct-50 04-Mar-51
RM Bks Eastney Amphib Sch Corporal 05-Mar-51 25-Mar-51
RM Bks Eastney Amphib Sch Sergeant (D) 26-Feb-51 30-Sep-55
RM Bks Eastney ?? Sch Sergeant (T) 01-Oct-55 14-Jan-57
St Angelo (RMTC) Sergeant (T) 15-Jan-57 06-Oct-59
RM Bks Eastney Sergeant (T) 07-Oct-59 02-Feb-60
41 Commando RM Clr Sgt (T) 03-Feb-60 08-Apr-65
41 Commando RM A/QMS (T) 09-Apr-65 26-Jun-65
41 Commando RM QMS (T) 27-Jun-65 27-Jul-65
41 Commando RM A/RSM (T) 28-Jul-65 25-May-66
RM Bks Eastney Pensioned QMS (T) 26-May-66 02-Jul-66

Hello Martin. I am Debbie Cox, my grandfather was Windsor St. Clare (Eddie) Cox, Patrick is my dad and Jack was my great uncle. I am hoping to connect with family members of Uncle Jack and your mum Aunt Pam. I'm not sure if this is allowed on this site but I would be very interested in pursuing further communication. My email is [email protected]