The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

Adam Brown · Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 8:51 pm Post subject: Overtown, North Lanarkshire

Overtown War Memorial
Location: Main Street
Os Ref: NS 801 527

An unusual memorial, most of the names on this memorial are also on the Cambusnethan Landward memorial at Newmains.

DSCN9191 by Scottish Military Research Group, on Flickr

DSCN9192 by Scottish Military Research Group, on Flickr

DSCN9193 by Scottish Military Research Group, on Flickr

Adam

milmor_1 · Joined: 03 Jun 2009 Posts: 118 Location: Ireland

I believe that this soldier is the Michael Lyons listed on this memorial;

LYONS Michael Private 7513 8th Bn Highland Light Infantry
Born: Newtownstewart, Co Tyrone Resided: Wishaw, Lanarkshire Enlisted: Law, Lanarkshire.
Date of Death: 29/06/1915 Cause: Died of wounds (Sustained Gallipoli).
Other notes: Private Lyon’s Medal Index Card shows him as entering the Gallipoli theatre of Operations on 2/4/1915.
Special notes: Private Lyons’s unit is shown in all the common records (Soldiers Died etc) as “8th Bn. Highland Light Infantry, research would indicate that this unit did not serve at Gallipoli or indeed serve overseas during the Great War. the unit itself was disbanded in 1916.
Grave/Memorial: Special Memorial. 54. Pink Farm Cemetery, Helles.
Other memorials: Private Lyons is commemorated on the Newmains War Memorial (the Overtown District Panel, Newmains, Lanarkshire and the Overtown War Memorial, Main Street, Overtown, Lanarkshire.; he is also named in the Scottish Roll of Honour in the Scottish National War Memorial, Edinburgh castle, Edinburgh.
IWM Records Page No: Volume V, Page 164.

swally · Joined: 22 Dec 2014 Posts: 15

Michael Lyons – Private 7513 – Highland Light Infantry 8th Battalion

Michael, (1890), son of James & Sarah, brother of Ann Jane (1895 - 1965), Rose (1897 - 1974), James (1899 - 1957), John (1901 – 1954) and Sarah (1910 – 1995) was born Newtonstewart, County Tyrone, Ireland and resided at 6 Boyd’s Row, Overtown. He was employed in the Shawfield Colliery, Law Village, prior to enlistment.

Private Lyons who had been a Territorial with the Highland Light Infantry for 6 years and was mobilised at the outbreak of hostilities.

Michael narrowly missed being involved in the Quintinshill Rail Disaster near Gretna, travelling with a draft of Territorials to join the 1/7th Royal Scots which left after the fateful train.

Mr. James Lyons received a letter of sympathy which is as follows:–

“The King commands me to assure you of the true sympathy of His Majesty and the Queen in your sorrow. – Kitchener”

Private Lyons, who died of wounds on the 29th June 1915 at the Dardanelles, was the first soldier from Overtown to pay the ultimate sacrifice.

Private Lyons is buried in Pink Farm Cemetery, Helles, Turkey, Special Memorial 54 and commemorated on both Overtown and Newmains War Memorials.