Lewis Lyne
Encyclopedia
Major-General
Lewis Owen Lyne CB
DSO
(1899–1970) was a British
Commander during World War II
.
in 1921. He was made a Staff Officer at the War Office
in 1938.
He served in World War II
being appointed Commanding Officer
of 9th Bn the Lancashire Fusiliers in 1940. He went on to be Chief Instructor at the Senior Officers' School in 1941 and Commander
of 169th Infantry Brigade in Italy
in 1942. Although he was wounded in 1943, he was appointed General Officer Commanding
of 59th (Staffordshire) Infantry Division on 30 March 1944 and then of 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division in Normandy
a few months later. He then became General Officer Commanding 7th Armoured Division and led it through the Siegfried Line
and on to Hamburg
. He took part in the Victory Parade in Berlin
on 21 July 1945.
After the War he became Commandant of the British Sector in Berlin. He was made Director of Staff Duties at the War Office in 1946 and General Officer Commanding British Troops in Egypt in 1949; he retired due to ill health later that year.
Major-General (United Kingdom)
Major general is a senior rank in the British Army. Since 1996 the highest position within the Royal Marines is the Commandant General Royal Marines who holds the rank of major general...
Lewis Owen Lyne CB
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...
DSO
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...
(1899–1970) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Commander during 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...
.
Military career
Lyne was commissioned into the Lancashire FusiliersLancashire Fusiliers
The Lancashire Fusiliers was a British infantry regiment that was amalgamated with other Fusilier regiments in 1968 to form the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.- Formation and early history:...
in 1921. He was made a Staff Officer at the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
in 1938.
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...
being appointed Commanding Officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of 9th Bn the Lancashire Fusiliers in 1940. He went on to be Chief Instructor at the Senior Officers' School in 1941 and Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
of 169th Infantry Brigade in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in 1942. Although he was wounded in 1943, he was appointed General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
of 59th (Staffordshire) Infantry Division on 30 March 1944 and then of 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
a few months later. He then became General Officer Commanding 7th Armoured Division and led it through the Siegfried Line
Siegfried Line
The original Siegfried line was a line of defensive forts and tank defences built by Germany as a section of the Hindenburg Line 1916–1917 in northern France during World War I...
and on to Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
. He took part in the Victory Parade in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
on 21 July 1945.
After the War he became Commandant of the British Sector in Berlin. He was made Director of Staff Duties at the War Office in 1946 and General Officer Commanding British Troops in Egypt in 1949; he retired due to ill health later that year.