IMr Richard – Buck – Lyon was apprenticed to HMNZ Dockyard, Auckland in 1939 and spent most of his apprenticeship in the gun mounting shop. In the early years of World War II he was responsible for installing gun mountings in (DEMS) Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships.
In 1943, with a number of other dockyard employees Lyon was sent to Britain to undertake further training at the dockyard in Portsmouth. He specialised in optical work especially on range finders and binoculars and when he returned to HMNZS PHILOMEL dockyard shortly after the cessation of the war, he was placed in charge of the Optical Repairs Workshop.
Lyon was sent once again to the United Kingdom in 1955 to assist with the conversion of the cruiser HMNZS ROYALIST and to undergo training on the systems fitted in that ship, acquiring a considerable knowledge which he would upon his return to New Zealand impart to the new weapons’ equipment shop of which he was initially engineer in charge and latterly deputy manager.
Lyon joined the Royal New Zealand Navy for a short time in early 1959 and served a commission onboard HMNZS ROYALIST in order to gain his engine room/watch-keeping tickets. He then proceeded once more to the United Kingdom and the Royal Navy Engineering College to undertake a course in ordnance engineering. On his return to New Zealand Lyon resumed his post as Deputy Manager Weapons, remaining there until 1973 when he was selected for the position of Superintendent Armament Stores at Kauri Point. He spent a year training once again in the United Kingdom before taking on the posting in 1974.
Richard Lyon retired from the Ministry of Defence in 1984.
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