LYON, James Levison
| Service Numbers: | 686, 686A |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 23 December 1916, Brisbane, Qld. |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 41st Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Nanango, Queensland, Australia, 24 February 1888 |
| Home Town: | Milton, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Sawyer |
| Died: | Wynnum, Brisbane, Queensland, 22 August 1947, aged 59 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Lutwyche Cemetery, Brisbane, Qld Anzac Portion 7 |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 23 Dec 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 686, 3rd Machine Gun Company, Brisbane, Qld. | |
|---|---|---|
| 21 Jun 1917: | Involvement Private, 686, 3rd Machine Gun Company, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '21' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Suevic embarkation_ship_number: A29 public_note: '' | |
| 21 Jun 1917: | Embarked Private, 686, 3rd Machine Gun Company, HMAT Suevic, Melbourne | |
| 18 Apr 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 686A, 41st Infantry Battalion |
Help us honour James Levison Lyon's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Faithe Jones
Husband of Mrs Jessie Lyon, Wahaimber and Lamington Streets, South Brisbane, Queensland
LEST WE FORGET
Biography contributed by Evan Evans
From Australian Remembrance Army
Levison Lyons who served as Private James Levison Lyon (Service No. 686A), an Australian World War One veteran, is among almost 800 previously unmarked WWI veterans’ graves in Lutwyche Cemetery we have now marked with a plaque in recognition of their service for Australia.
We unveiled his plaque in Lutwyche Cemetery on 15 April 2023, along with a further 246 plaques on the previously unmarked graves of Australian World War One veterans:
See Australian Remembrance Army Facebook page
Levison Lyons was born on 24 February 1888 in Nanango, Queensland, to Levison Lyons and Sarah Lyons (née Keysie). In 1908, he married Jessie Robinson, and together they had two daughters. By 1913, he was working as a sawmill labourer at Elgin Vale, near Nanango, Queensland.
Levison enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in Brisbane on 23 December 1916, stating his occupation as a sawyer (sawmill operator). At the time of enlistment, he was residing in Milton, Brisbane, and nominated his wife, Jessie Lyons, as his next of kin. On 21 June 1917, he embarked from Melbourne for overseas service with the 3rd Machine Gun Company aboard HMAT Suevic.
Lyon served in both England and France, where he experienced prolonged and difficult conditions. His service record shows repeated admissions to hospital for illness, including bronchitis, scabies, and septic sores, reflecting the harsh trench environment. Despite these setbacks, he returned to duty on multiple occasions and continued to serve in active operational areas.
In May 1918, Lyon was wounded in action in France after being gassed, and these injuries required further hospitalisation. His health continued to deteriorate, and he was eventually deemed unfit for further service. He returned to Australia on 25 January 1919, during which voyage he was again hospitalised with influenza. He was formally discharged from the Australian Imperial Force on 18 April 1919.
Following his return to civilian life, Lyons is recorded as living in south-east Queensland and working as a sawmill operator. By 1947, he was residing at Wynnum, a bayside suburb of Brisbane. Levison Lyons, who served under the name Private James Levison Lyon, died on 22 August 1947 aged 59, and was buried three days later in Anzac Portion 7 of Lutwyche Cemetery, Brisbane.
Levison Lyons who served as Private James Levison Lyon died on 22 August 1947, aged 59, and was buried three days later in Anzac Portion 7, Lutwyche Cemetery, Brisbane.
After decades without recognition at his place of burial, his grave now bears a plaque commemorating his service to Australia — ensuring his name endures among those remembered for their duty and sacrifice. His identity and dignity have now been restored.
We have remembered him.
Lest We Forget.
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