Career
Lyster served in World War I and fought at Gallipoli in 1915. He went on to command the 5th Destroyer Flotilla in 1933 and the Royal Navy Gunnery School at Chatham in 1935 before becoming Director of Training and Staff Duties at the Admiralty in 1936. He was given command of the aircraft carrier HMS Glorious in 1938 and was made Aide-de-camp to the King in 1939.
He served in World World War II initially as Rear-Admiral in charge of Her Majesty Dockyard Scapa Flow and then as Rear-Admiral in charge of the Aircraft Carriers in the Mediterranean Fleet from 1940.
He is notable for drawing up the attack plan for the Battle of Taranto, beginning in 1935 (at the instruction of Admiral Sir Dudley Pound) and executed in November 1940. He was appointed Fifth Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Air Services from 1941 and Commander of the Aircraft Carriers in Home Fleet, with his flag in HMS Illustrious, in 1942: he commanded air operations during Operation Pedestal in August 1942, for which he was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire. His last appointment was as Flag Officer, Carrier Training in 1943 before he retired in 1945.
