A First War Brothers Group to the 3rd Canadian Battalion

A First War Brothers Group to the 3rd Canadian Battalion - Ivan Courtney Lyon: 1914-15 Star (un-named); British War Medal (10143 PTE. I.C. LYON. 3-CAN.INF.); and Victory Medal (un-named). Louis Montague Lyon: 1914-15 Star (un-named); British War Medal (un-named); and Victory Medal (10142 PTE. L.M. LYON. 3-CAN.INF.). Lloyd Dietz St. Aubyn Lyon: Military Medal (un-named); 1914-15 Star (10141 PTE. L.D. LYON. 3-CAN.INF.); British War Medal (un-named); Victory Medal (un-named); and Memorial Cross (2-Lieut. L.D. St. A. LYON M.M.). Un-mounted, bruising on the MM, glue residue on the reverse of some medals from previous board mounting, light contact, near extremely fine. Accompanied by a Canadian "Over There" Pin (bronze gilt and enamels, maker marked "WELLINGS MFG. CO. TORONTO" on the reverse, illustrating three colourful maple leaves, inscribed "OVER" and "THERE" on either side of the central maple leaf, 9.5 mm x 40.6 mm, horizontal pinback).   Footnote: The three Lyon brothers were born in Kingston, Jamaica, British West Indies (Ivan Courtney Lyon on June 6, 1892, Louis Montague Lyon on October 6, 1893, Lloyd Dietz St. Aubyn Lyon on May 1, 1896), later immigrating to Canada and becoming residents of Toronto, Ontario. All three enlisted at the same time as Privates and were assigned consecutive service numbers (10143, 10142, 10141), signing their Attestation Papers with the 3rd Infantry Battalion "Toronto Regiment", on September 22, 1914 at Valcartier Camp, at the ages of 22, 20 and 18 respectively, naming their mother, Mrs. Emma Lyon of Toronto as their next-of-kin, each stating they belonged to an Active Militia, with Ivan indicating he had six months previous military service with the 2nd Regiment, Queen's Own Rifles. All three were not married and stated their trades as that of Salesman, Electrician and Designer, respectively. The Battalion was raised in Toronto with mobilization headquarters at Camp Valcartier, Quebec under the authority of P.C.O. 2067, August 6, 1914 and sailed on October 3, 1914 under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel R. Rennie with a strength of 43 officers and 1,100 other ranks, serving in France and Belgium with the 1st Infantry Brigade, 1st Canadian Division. The oldest of the brothers, 10143 Private Ivan Courtney Lyon was Killed in Action during the Third Battle of Artois (AKA Battle of Loos) on September 26, 1915. A previous researcher indicated that he was Killed in Action during the Battle of Festubert but that was fought in May and June of 1916. He is remembered with honour on the Vimy Memorial and his death was mentioned in an article in the Toronto Star on June 11, 1915. The middle brother, 10142 Private Louis Montague Lyon was taken Prisoner of War at the Second Battle of Ypres, on April 25, 1915. He was one of 2,820 Canadians captured and held during the Great War, Lyon spending forty-four plus months in a German camp, before being released on January 1, 1919. The youngest brother, 10141 Private Lloyd Dietz St. Aubyn Lyon was awarded a Military Medal, his citation appearing in the London Gazette on December 9, 1916: "While acting as Battalion Runner carried messages under a very heavy shell fire fully exposed to the enemy at Courcelette from September 17th-20th, 1916. This man is only 18 1/2 years of age and has been acting as Battalion Runner since June 1915." He was later commissioned in the Royal Flying Corps on January 1, 1918. The Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service merged to form the Royal Air Force on April 1, 1918. Lyon was named to the rank of Second Lieutenant and served with the 54th Squadron, Royal Air Force. While over the Irish Sea off Dublin, Ireland, contact was lost with 2nd Lieutenant Lyon. He was declared missing and presumed drowned in a flying accident on February 28, 1919. He is remembered with honour on the Hollybrook Memorial, Hollybrook Cemetery, Southampton, Hampshire, England.