Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Lanyon Percy Rey was born on the 3rd of December, 1920, in the small town of Moonta, South Australia. He went to Kadina Memorial High School. Before enlisting in the military, Lanyon worked as a clerk, likely in a local office or government building close to his home in Wallaroo. 

Percy Ray Lanyon joined the Royal Australian Air Force on  15 August 1942 in Adelaide at the peak of the Second World War. He did his services with Corp No. 640 Squadron of the Royal Air Force, where he gained a reputation as an accurate, dependable air bomber and flew many missions to enemy territory. His talent, precision and his loyalty to work prompted him to be an excellent soldier whose missions made him very much recognised by his fellow soldiers and by his commanders. Lanyon was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, announced in the London Gazette on 20 February 1945 and later published in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 1 March 1945. While some records note a later date of 13 June 1946 for the formal presentation, the award itself acknowledged his exceptional service in air operations during the war.

When World War II officially came to a close on September 2, 1945, Percy Ray Lanyon embarked on a new journey by marrying a woman named Joyce. The couple soon moved all the way to Canberra, where they started to build a family. Over the years, they had two children, a daughter named Julie and a son named Scott. Scott began a family of his own which made Percy and Joyce proud grandparents. However on December 29, 2004, when Joyce passed away at the age of 81, leaving behind her husband, children, and grandchildren. Her loss was deeply felt by Percy who had shared a lifetime filled with love, partnership and countless memories with her. In the years that followed, Percy continued to be a devoted father and grandfather, treasuring the family he and Joyce had built together. Sadly on January 27 2010 Percy himself passed away at the age of 89.