Jack Lyon


William John Lyon was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party. He was killed in World War II while serving with the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force.

Early years

Lyon was born in London, England, and educated at a Brighton Grammar School. He won a scholarship to Oxford University, but did not take it up as he enlisted in the British Army, becoming an officer in the Royal Sussex Regiment.

Local politician

Lyon was active in the UK Labour Party. His health was damaged by mustard gas, so he emigrated to New Zealand in 1927 where he lived in Hastings. Lyon served on the Hastings Borough Council and Napier Harbour Board before moving to Auckland in 1931.
In 1935 he stood unsuccessfully for the Auckland City Council on a Labour Party ticket.

Member of Parliament

Lyon contested the Hawkes Bay electorate in the, but was beaten by the incumbent, Hugh Campbell of the Reform Party.
As a Labour Party MP, he represented the Waitemata electorate from the 1935 general election to 1941. Out of respect to Lyon, the National Party decided not to contest the by-election resulting from his death. The by-election resulted in the return of the third woman to the New Zealand House of Representatives, Labour's Mary Dreaver.

Death

With the outbreak of war, Lyon enlisted in the New Zealand Military Forces, and was a Captain with the 18th Battalion when he was killed during the Battle of Crete.