The Oldest Home Guard and His Relatives

George Henry Lyle thought he was the oldest Home Guard. He lived in Hove, where he did his Home Guard duties. He joined the Home Guard in May 1940, where he was guarding the beaches, which were all wired off. Although many of the Home Guard were senior citizens, he believed he was the oldest, being 82 years old when he finished his duties. He finished in August 1943, having to resign at that time because, with the threat of invasion, it was thought he was too old. He was presented with a silver salver in recognition of his work, and someone also drew a caricature of him. These objects were recorded.

His niece Penelope, pictured with him in a photograph, was a plotter in the WAAF. She later married a much-decorated Pilot Officer, Ian Arbuthnot Slaughter.

A third descendant of George Henry Lyle was Alan Samuel Lyle Smythe MBE. His story and exploits are documented under object 6. Before the war, he worked with the Palestine Police and learned Arabic. In 1940, he was commissioned by the Royal Army Service Corps and transferred to the Intelligence Corps. He served in the Western Desert using the name Caillou as an alias and was captured and imprisoned. He managed to escape and was posted to work with the partisans in Yugoslavia. He was awarded the Military Cross in 1944. He wrote about his wartime experiences in Yugoslavia in "The World is 6 Feet Square." He became a prolific author and actor.