{"id":283,"date":"2018-05-09T21:35:35","date_gmt":"2018-05-09T21:35:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/?page_id=283"},"modified":"2018-06-01T18:17:19","modified_gmt":"2018-06-01T18:17:19","slug":"alex-lytle","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/?page_id=283","title":{"rendered":"Alex Lytle"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1><strong>Dalmain<\/strong> <strong>Alexander<\/strong> <strong>Lytle\u00a0 (1916-1989)<\/strong><\/h1>\n<p>(Called Dalmain by his parents and siblings, but Alex by his wife and sons.)<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><em>He<\/em> <em>had<\/em> <em>severe<\/em> <em>peritonitis<\/em> <em>at<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>age<\/em> <em>of<\/em> <em>four<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>a<\/em> <em>half<\/em> <em>years.<\/em> <em>The<\/em> <em>Managing<\/em> <em>Director<\/em> <em>of<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>Sun<\/em> <em>Life<\/em> <em>of<\/em> <em>Canada,<\/em> <em>Mr<\/em> <em>Junkin,<\/em> <em>travelled<\/em> <em>to<\/em> <em>Nottingham<\/em> <em>to<\/em> <em>give<\/em> <em>comfort<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>monetary<\/em> <em>help<\/em> <em>to<\/em> <em>our<\/em> <em>parents<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>after<\/em> <em>six<\/em> <em>anxious<\/em> <em>weeks<\/em> <em>in<\/em> <em>a<\/em> <em>nursing<\/em> <em>home,<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>little<\/em> <em>boy<\/em> <em>recovered<\/em> <em>after<\/em> <em>a<\/em> <em>long<\/em> <em>convalescence.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><em>My<\/em> <em>earliest<\/em> <em>memories<\/em> <em>of<\/em> <em>Alexander<\/em> <em>were<\/em> <em>of<\/em> <em>his<\/em> <em>exuberance<\/em> <em>at<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>Great<\/em> <em>Indian<\/em> <em>Exhibition<\/em> <em>at<\/em> <em>Wembley<\/em> <em>in<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>1920\u2019s.<\/em> <em>We<\/em> <em>had<\/em> <em>travelled<\/em> <em>from<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>South<\/em> <em>Coast<\/em> <em>of<\/em> <em>Devon<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>Cornwall<\/em> <em>up<\/em> <em>to<\/em> <em>London<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>stayed<\/em> <em>at<\/em> <em>our<\/em> <em>usual<\/em> <em>hotel,<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>Ivanhoe,<\/em> <em>adjacent<\/em> <em>to<\/em> <em>St.<\/em> <em>Pancras.<\/em> <em>We<\/em> <em>had<\/em> <em>dinner<\/em> <em>in<\/em> <em>Coventry<\/em> <em>Street<\/em> <em>one<\/em> <em>evening,<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>Alex<\/em> <em>conducted<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>orchestra<\/em> <em>standing<\/em> <em>on<\/em> <em>his<\/em> <em>chair.<\/em> <em>After<\/em> <em>a<\/em> <em>long<\/em> <em>tiring<\/em> <em>day<\/em> <em>he<\/em> <em>found<\/em> <em>music<\/em> <em>more<\/em> <em>enticing<\/em> <em>than<\/em> <em>food.<\/em> <em>Each<\/em> <em>floor<\/em> <em>of<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>restaurant<\/em> <em>had<\/em> <em>its<\/em> <em>characteristic<\/em> <em>fare<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>two<\/em> <em>had<\/em> <em>orchestras,<\/em> <em>for<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>dansant<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>later<\/em> <em>for<\/em> <em>dinner.<\/em> <em>Alex<\/em> <em>was<\/em> <em>fivish<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>in<\/em> <em>an<\/em> <em>Eton<\/em> <em>suit.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_264\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-264\" style=\"width: 240px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo079.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-264 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo079-240x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"240\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo079-240x300.png 240w, https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo079.png 345w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 240px) 100vw, 240px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-264\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dalmain at Cranford School 1932-1934<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><em>He<\/em> <em>was<\/em> <em>admitted<\/em> <em>in<\/em> <em>1932<\/em> <em>to<\/em> <em>Canford<\/em> <em>School,<\/em> <em>Dorset;<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>head<\/em> <em>was<\/em> <em>a<\/em> <em>Professor<\/em> <em>Hayden,<\/em> <em>son-in-law<\/em> <em>of<\/em> <em>head<\/em> <em>of<\/em> <em>Eton,<\/em> <em>Ardington.<\/em> <em>After<\/em> <em>leaving<\/em> <em>Canford,<\/em> <em>he<\/em> <em>joined<\/em> <em>Players<\/em> <em>as<\/em> <em>a<\/em> <em>trainee:<\/em> <em>Imperial<\/em> <em>Tobacco<\/em> <em>Company<\/em> <em>was<\/em> <em>formed<\/em> <em>about<\/em> <em>this<\/em> <em>time.<\/em> <em>For<\/em> <em>young<\/em> <em>fellows<\/em> <em>during<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>1930\u2019s<\/em> <em>jobs<\/em> <em>were<\/em> <em>scarce,<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>Mr<\/em> <em>Yeoman,<\/em> <em>a<\/em> <em>parent<\/em> <em>of<\/em> <em>a<\/em> <em>contemporary<\/em> <em>of<\/em> <em>Alexander\u2019s<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>head<\/em> <em>of<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>Nottingham<\/em> <em>Player<\/em> <em>branch<\/em> <em>of<\/em> <em>Imperial<\/em> <em>Tobacco,<\/em> <em>was<\/em> <em>approached<\/em> <em>by<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>headmaster<\/em> <em>as<\/em> <em>indeed<\/em> <em>other<\/em> <em>parents<\/em> <em>who<\/em> <em>employed<\/em> <em>big<\/em> <em>staff<\/em> <em>were<\/em> <em>too,<\/em> <em>if<\/em> <em>they<\/em> <em>could<\/em> <em>find<\/em> <em>places<\/em> <em>for<\/em> <em>pupils<\/em> <em>in<\/em> <em>their<\/em> <em>firms.<\/em> <em>Alexander<\/em> <em>had<\/em> <em>set<\/em> <em>his<\/em> <em>heart<\/em> <em>on<\/em> <em>joining<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>Army,<\/em> <em>he<\/em> <em>enjoyed<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>O.T.C.<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>had<\/em> <em>a<\/em> <em>good<\/em> <em>seat<\/em> <em>on<\/em> <em>a<\/em> <em>horse,<\/em> <em>but<\/em> <em>he<\/em> <em>had<\/em> <em>a<\/em> <em>heart<\/em> <em>murmur,<\/em> <em>found<\/em> <em>at<\/em> <em>his<\/em> <em>medical,<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>therefore<\/em> <em>joined<\/em> <em>Players.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_265\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-265\" style=\"width: 350px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo080.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-265\" src=\"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo080.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"350\" height=\"500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo080.jpg 350w, https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo080-210x300.jpg 210w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-265\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dalmain in France 1937<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><em>Soon<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>W<\/em><em>ar<\/em> <em>seemed<\/em> <em>imminent<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>he<\/em> <em>married<\/em> <em>Gwyeria<\/em> <em>Pryor,<\/em> <em>known<\/em> <em>as<\/em> <em>Gwen,<\/em> <em>in<\/em> <em>1939<\/em> <em>when<\/em> <em>she<\/em> <em>was<\/em> <em>25,<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>lived<\/em> <em>in<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>Leicestershire<\/em> <em>village<\/em> <em>Nether<\/em> <em>Broughton,<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>motored<\/em> <em>in<\/em> <em>each<\/em> <em>morning.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><em>The<\/em> <em>f<\/em><em>i<\/em><em>rst<\/em> <em>week<\/em> <em>after<\/em> <em>W<\/em><em>ar<\/em> <em>was<\/em> <em>declared<\/em> <em>he<\/em> <em>had<\/em> <em>offered<\/em> <em>himself<\/em> <em>as<\/em> <em>a<\/em> <em>private.<\/em> <em>He<\/em> <em>was<\/em> <em>enlisted<\/em> <em>into<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>Northamptonshire<\/em> <em>Regiment<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>did<\/em> <em>plane<\/em> <em>spotting<\/em> <em>duty<\/em> <em>on<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>roof<\/em> <em>of<\/em> <em>Northampton\u2019s<\/em> <em>cinema,<\/em> <em>seeing<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>huge<\/em> <em>flight<\/em> <em>of<\/em> <em>enemy<\/em> <em>planes<\/em> <em>to<\/em> <em>Nottingham.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><em>The<\/em> <em>small<\/em> <em>guns<\/em> <em>were<\/em> <em>useless<\/em> <em>but<\/em> <em>as<\/em> <em>soon<\/em> <em>as<\/em> <em>Bofors<\/em> <em>were<\/em> <em>made<\/em> <em>at<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>Royal<\/em> <em>Ordinance<\/em> <em>Factories,<\/em> <em>he<\/em> <em>had<\/em> <em>his<\/em> <em>first<\/em> <em>success.<\/em> <em>Inevitably<\/em> <em>someone<\/em> <em>recognised<\/em> <em>him<\/em> <em>after<\/em> <em>a<\/em> <em>year,<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>suggested<\/em> <em>he<\/em> <em>put<\/em> <em>in<\/em> <em>for<\/em> <em>a<\/em> <em>transfer<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>officer\u2019s<\/em> <em>training.<\/em> <em>This<\/em> <em>he<\/em> <em>resisted<\/em> <em>for<\/em> <em>a<\/em> <em>time.<\/em> <em>At<\/em> <em>last<\/em> <em>he<\/em> <em>was<\/em> <em>sent<\/em> <em>to<\/em> <em>Aberystwyth<\/em> <em>University<\/em> <em>to<\/em> <em>study<\/em> <em>languages<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>soon<\/em> <em>was<\/em> <em>a<\/em> <em>Second<\/em> <em>Lieutenant<\/em> <em>in<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>Northamptonshire<\/em> <em>regiment,<\/em> <em>No<\/em> <em>172332<\/em> <em>A.A.W.XO<\/em> <em>c\/o<\/em> <em>A.P.O.<\/em> <em>1730.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Their first child, Christopher, was born in March 1940.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><em>On<\/em> <em>a<\/em> <em>secret<\/em> <em>voyage<\/em> <em>half<\/em> <em>way<\/em> <em>across<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>Atlantic<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>then<\/em> <em>via<\/em> <em>St<\/em> <em>Helena<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>round<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>Cape<\/em> <em>of<\/em> <em>Good<\/em> <em>Hope<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>up<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>Indian<\/em> <em>Ocean<\/em> <em>to<\/em> <em>Durban<\/em> <em>\u2013<\/em> <em>three<\/em> <em>months<\/em> <em>of<\/em> <em>sea<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>no<\/em> <em>landings<\/em> <em>to<\/em> <em>avoid<\/em> <em>German<\/em> <em>U<\/em> <em>boats.<\/em> <em>He<\/em> <em>studied<\/em> <em>Urdu,<\/em> <em>Hindustani<\/em> <em>all<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>way.<\/em> <em>Durban<\/em> <em>gave<\/em> <em>each<\/em> <em>soldier<\/em> <em>a<\/em> <em>wonderful<\/em> <em>welcome<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>took<\/em> <em>them<\/em> <em>into<\/em> <em>their<\/em> <em>homes<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>showed<\/em> <em>off<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>beauties<\/em> <em>of<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>Natal<\/em> <em>Coast.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_266\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-266\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo081.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-266\" src=\"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo081-300x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo081-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo081-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo081-100x100.png 100w, https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo081.png 325w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-266\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alex in army uniform<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><em>Sailing<\/em> <em>to<\/em> <em>Bombay<\/em> <em>after<\/em> <em>this<\/em> <em>rest<\/em> <em>he<\/em> <em>was<\/em> <em>promoted<\/em> <em>to<\/em> <em>First<\/em> <em>Lieutenant,<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>sent<\/em> <em>up<\/em> <em>to<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>famous<\/em> <em>Dehra<\/em> <em>Dun<\/em> <em>military<\/em> <em>camp.<\/em> <em>There<\/em> <em>he<\/em> <em>found<\/em> <em>he<\/em> <em>was<\/em> <em>to<\/em> <em>travel<\/em> <em>into<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>foothills<\/em> <em>of<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>Himalayans,<\/em> <em>to<\/em> <em>find<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>train<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>Ghurkhas.<\/em> <em>This<\/em> <em>he<\/em> <em>did<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>was<\/em> <em>promoted<\/em> <em>to<\/em> <em>Captain;<\/em> <em>after<\/em> <em>a<\/em> <em>few<\/em> <em>months<\/em> <em>training<\/em> <em>them,<\/em> <em>then<\/em> <em>through<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>Khyber<\/em> <em>Pass<\/em> <em>for<\/em> <em>three<\/em> <em>months,<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>when<\/em> <em>jeeps<\/em> <em>came<\/em> <em>over<\/em> <em>by<\/em> <em>sea<\/em> <em>from<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>U.K.<\/em> <em>these<\/em> <em>were<\/em> <em>used<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>serviced.<\/em> <em>Then<\/em> <em>Burma<\/em> <em>was<\/em> <em>taken<\/em> <em>by<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>Japanese.<\/em> <em>Captain<\/em> <em>Lytle<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>his<\/em> <em>Ghurkhas<\/em> <em>were<\/em> <em>buying<\/em> <em>elephants<\/em> <em>to<\/em> <em>transport<\/em> <em>their<\/em> <em>regiment\u2019s<\/em> <em>equipment,<\/em> <em>through<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>Naga<\/em> <em>Hills<\/em> <em>to<\/em> <em>relieve<\/em> <em>Orde<\/em> <em>Wingate<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>his<\/em> <em>Chindits<\/em> <em>below<\/em> <em>Assam.<\/em> <em>The<\/em> <em>battle<\/em> <em>of<\/em> <em>Imphay<\/em> <em>he<\/em> <em>didn\u2019t<\/em> <em>even<\/em> <em>hear<\/em> <em>about;<\/em> <em>for<\/em> <em>what<\/em> <em>seemed<\/em> <em>like<\/em> <em>years<\/em> <em>Captain<\/em> <em>Lytle<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>Ghurkhas<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>their<\/em> <em>elephants<\/em> <em>were<\/em> <em>hacking<\/em> <em>a<\/em> <em>way<\/em> <em>through<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>jungle<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>leeches.<\/em> <em>Finally<\/em> <em>someone<\/em> <em>radioed<\/em> <em>them<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>ordered<\/em> <em>them<\/em> <em>to<\/em> <em>cross<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>Irriwaddy<\/em> <em>to<\/em> <em>Mandalay.<\/em> <em>There<\/em> <em>they<\/em> <em>began<\/em> <em>to<\/em> <em>push<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>Japs<\/em> <em>down<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>out.<\/em> <em>Burma<\/em> <em>officers<\/em> <em>were<\/em> <em>on<\/em> <em>horseback<\/em> <em>on<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>Rangoon<\/em> <em>Road.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><em>Unfortunately<\/em> <em>as<\/em> <em>war<\/em> <em>in<\/em> <em>Europe<\/em> <em>ended,<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>Japs<\/em> <em>were<\/em> <em>at<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>border<\/em> <em>of<\/em> <em>India<\/em> <em>(one<\/em> <em>continent<\/em> <em>then).<\/em> <em>On<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>road<\/em> <em>to<\/em> <em>Rangoon<\/em> <em>during<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>last<\/em> <em>month<\/em> <em>of<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>Asian<\/em> <em>War,<\/em> <em>Captain<\/em> <em>Alexander<\/em> <em>fell<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>was<\/em> <em>dragged<\/em> <em>some<\/em> <em>distance<\/em> <em>by<\/em> <em>one<\/em> <em>stirrup<\/em> <em>as<\/em> <em>he<\/em> <em>hung<\/em> <em>from<\/em> <em>his<\/em> <em>horse,<\/em> <em>concussed.<\/em> <em>Hospital<\/em> <em>in<\/em> <em>Chittagong<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>concussion<\/em> <em>persisted.<\/em> <em>AC.O.<\/em> <em>had<\/em> <em>him<\/em> <em>moved<\/em> <em>by<\/em> <em>rail<\/em> <em>to<\/em> <em>Delhi<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>better<\/em> <em>nursing.<\/em> <em>After<\/em> <em>several<\/em> <em>months<\/em> <em>of<\/em> <em>care<\/em> <em>his<\/em> <em>consciousness<\/em> <em>returned.<\/em> <em>He<\/em> <em>was<\/em> <em>promoted<\/em> <em>in<\/em> <em>Government<\/em> <em>House<\/em> <em>to<\/em> <em>Major<\/em> <em>and<\/em> <em>recommended<\/em> <em>a<\/em> <em>decoration<\/em> <em>with<\/em> <em>an<\/em> <em>M.B.E.<\/em> <em>1946<\/em> <em>at<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>Palace.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Their second son, Richard, was born in 1947.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><em>Back<\/em> <em>in<\/em> <em>Nottingham,<\/em> <em>Alexander<\/em> <em>put<\/em> <em>up<\/em> <em>for<\/em> <em>Meadow<\/em> <em>Lane<\/em> <em>W<\/em><em>ard<\/em> <em>as<\/em> <em>a<\/em> <em>candidate<\/em> <em>in<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>local<\/em> <em>elections.<\/em> <em>He<\/em> <em>had<\/em> <em>a<\/em> <em>rousing<\/em> <em>campaign<\/em> <em>but<\/em> <em>did<\/em> <em>not<\/em> <em>get<\/em> <em>in<\/em> <em>for<\/em> <em>the<\/em> <em>Meadow<\/em> <em>Lane<\/em> <em>Ward.<\/em> <em>He<\/em> <em>joined<\/em> <em>as<\/em> <em>many<\/em> <em>servicemen<\/em> <em>did,<\/em> <em>a<\/em> <em>loyalist<\/em> <em>movement,<\/em> <em>useless<\/em> <em>for<\/em> <em>a<\/em> <em>small<\/em> <em>group<\/em> <em>of<\/em> <em>thousands,<\/em> <em>to<\/em> <em>oust<\/em> <em>Labour<\/em> <em>or<\/em> <em>Tories<\/em> <em>at<\/em> <em>that<\/em> <em>time,<\/em> <em>e.g.<\/em> <em>Atlee<\/em> <em>or<\/em> <em>Churchill.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p>There was no prospect of employment at Players in Nottingham, and Alex and Gwen were expecting another child, their third son, Jeremy, so they went to live near her parents in Southsea, Hampshire, the seaside resort next to Portsmouth. There was no suitable work there either, and Alex accepted a job taking tourist photos on Southsea pier.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_267\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-267\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo082.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-267 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo082.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"477\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo082.jpg 800w, https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo082-300x179.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo082-768x458.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-267\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gwen, Alex, Christopher and Richard &#8211; Christmas 1050<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_269\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-269\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo084.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-269\" src=\"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo084-300x214.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"214\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo084-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo084.jpg 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-269\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">T.S.S. New York<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>By 1953 they were getting desperate for a steady income. They decided to emigrate to the U.S. So Gwen took the three boys to America on the S.S. New York on 19th\u00a0October 1955 with the hope of Alex joining them later.\u00a0 Gwen was allowed in, to settle, and spent some time living in the Bronx in a small apartment. Her neighbour was a middle-European Jewish man \u2013 very kind, who helped her get a secretarial job in Manhattan.<\/p>\n<p>Ruth believes that Alex was refused entry because of a patch on his lung, exacerbated in the terrible conditions of the Burma jungle. He had to think of a way of entering the U.S. He later wrote movingly to Ruth of his adventures at sea.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_270\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-270\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo085.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-270\" src=\"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo085-300x214.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"214\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo085-300x214.png 300w, https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo085.png 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-270\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">S.S. Nieuw Amsterdam<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Alex had decided to work his passage, and \u2018jump\u00a0ship\u2019 when it was in New York harbour, so he joined\u00a0the crew of S.S. United States, which was competing\u00a0with the British Queens Elizabeth and Mary for the\u00a0Blue Riband for the fastest crossing all that year. The only vacancy was for a sous chef, an unlikely job for him. The ship had to go \u2018all out\u2019, so that the engines throbbed more than usual. The crew were sleeping in cramped quarters in the pincers of the ship, i.e. in the V shaped prow. Sleep was difficult, either because of the engine noise, or the slapping of the water on the pincers. In the kitchen, which was well below the water line, the pumps worked all the time, but still the water was at ankle height or more, even with the duck boards on the floor. So that after his shift as a sous chef, his feet were crinkly from the water, as no shoes could be worn. Of course there was no air conditioning, so the air temperature was stifling.<\/p>\n<p>Alex tried to get off the ship in N.Y. harbour several times, but he was barred by the huge first mate each time, holding a knife to his throat, who demanded his wages before he could get off. So Alex had to go back and forth across the Atlantic, until he spotted an opportunity to jump ship, with his pay intact. Did Alex finally jump in Portsmouth Harbour? Fred has found the Passenger List for the S.S. Nieuw Amsterdam arriving at New York on 14th\u00a0December 1955, and Alex was on board, officially, as a passenger, just 2 months after Gwen had arrived in the U.S.\u00a0 So Alex must have re-applied to enter the U.S. and been accepted.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_268\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-268\" style=\"width: 350px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo083.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-268\" src=\"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo083.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"350\" height=\"440\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo083.jpg 350w, https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo083-239x300.jpg 239w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-268\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alex in his 60&#8217;s<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Once in America together, Alex and Gwen took a seasonal job in New England, keeping a summer camp aired in the winter months, and then preparing it for guests in the summer holidays. Then they went to Florida, and stayed there. They were joined by John, who was a child of one of Gwen\u2019s relations, and an orphan, and he was brought up as their own. We have details of Alex\u2019s Alien Registration, filed with the District Court in Miami, Florida. Fred says this usually means an applicant is issued with a Green Card. All during this first year or two, Alex sent post cards to Ruth, telling her of his excitement with America and its natural beauty, which I have kept.<\/p>\n<p>Alex took waitering jobs, and then ended up selling motor boats for Chris Craft at Pompano Beach, while Gwen worked as a secretary. Alex made a successful career out of this, and then began selling property. Fred has found a copy of Gwen\u2019s application for Naturalisation which was accepted on 18th\u00a0October 1963 in Miami. Alex\u2019s petition for Naturalisation, number 29,483 was filed also in Miami, Florida, and he too, was accepted on the same date, so presumably the patch on his lung had cleared up and he never developed T.B., in the kinder weather of Florida. He died aged 73.<\/p>\n<h1><strong>Alex and Gwen&#8217;s\u00a0children<\/strong><\/h1>\n<h2><strong>Christopher Rodney\u00a0 (b. 1940)<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Christopher was born after Alex had left to serve in the Army.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_271\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-271\" style=\"width: 346px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo086.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-271 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo086.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"346\" height=\"633\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo086.png 346w, https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo086-164x300.png 164w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 346px) 100vw, 346px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-271\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Christopher in Southsea 1950<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>When he was 15 he sailed with the family for New York and a new life. Within a year they had ended up in Florida where they stayed in the Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Pompano Beach area. Richard has told me that Christopher fought in Vietnam. Christopher married Kathleen Lenore Cregon in 1973, and they now live in Davis, California. They have one child, Erin, born in 1975.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Richard Godfrey\u00a0 (b. 1947<\/strong>)<\/h2>\n<p>Richard was born when Alex was back from the War. He had always suffered from asthma, and when he was 18 the Army Board refused him, so unlike his brothers, he did not go to Vietnam. He attended the University of Southern California in La Jolla, and had a very good time, he told me. There was plenty of surfing, beach parties and pretty girls. I do not remember what his degree was, but while he was there he met, and later\u00a0married Linda Mae Risser, in 1975.<\/p>\n<p>Linda was born deaf, but was studying the psychology\u00a0of coping with deafness, so that she could advise, communicate and teach other deaf students. Richard learned to do sign language, and to speak so that Linda could lip read from him, easily. They have settled in Washington, and live in University Park, just outside the City, where Richard is an administrator at Gallaudet University for the Deaf, and Linda has a practice.<\/p>\n<p>Ruth had had such success in contacting her niece Diana Lytle after so many years, that I decided I would track down her nephews (sons of Alex and Gwen) living in America. Ruth had vague ideas of them living either in California or the Washington area, so early in 1988, when I knew Roger and I were travelling to America for a trade show, I wrote to all the R. Lytles in the California phone books, which are stored in the public library. But I drew a blank, so tried the same thing in Washington D.C. My cousin Richard got the letter and was delighted to make contact. He invited Roger and I and a 9 month old Claire to spend the day with them. We had such a good time catching up with Richard, Linda and their two daughters.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_272\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-272\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo087.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-272 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo087.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"392\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo087.jpg 600w, https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo087-300x196.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-272\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Juliet and Claire with\u00a0 Linda and Richard and their daughters in 1994<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>When we were living in New York in 1995, we returned to visit them again. By then, Richard\u2019s Mother, Gwen was living with them, and Linda had had a third daughter. We were taken out for the day into Washington, to visit some of the big museums. We had a wonderful day out, and Claire and James were really intrigued with the girls, who sang us jolly ditties all the way to the airport in the back of their station wagon. They were very happy to find they had a male cousin and made a great fuss of James. I had not met Gwen since I was a small child, and she was keen to tell me stories about my Father, which amazed me, as no one had ever talked about him to me. She had disliked him. He was very flirtatious, so that she felt uncomfortable with him, and she was not surprised when he left Ruth.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_273\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-273\" style=\"width: 500px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo088.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-273 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo088.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo088.jpg 500w, https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/photo088-300x180.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-273\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Second visit in 2003 with Claire and James<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>They have three daughters: Nerissa born in 1978, Cassandra born in 1985 and Samantha born in 1988.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Jeremy Alfred\u00a0 (b. 1949)<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>When he was a young man, Jeremy served time with the Army in Vietnam.<\/p>\n<p>Richard claimed that both his brothers had suffered as a result of that War. He had little to do with them, and advised me that he did not think they would welcome a visit from English relations. Both Fred and I have actually tried to contact Jeremy while we were in the area, but he has never responded.<\/p>\n<p>In 1986 he married Elizabeth Julia Weisz, and they live in Pompano Beach, Florida.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dalmain Alexander Lytle\u00a0 (1916-1989) (Called Dalmain by his parents and siblings, but Alex by his wife and sons.) He had severe peritonitis at the age of four and a half years. The Managing Director of the Sun Life of Canada, Mr Junkin, travelled to Nottingham to give comfort and monetary help to our parents and &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/?page_id=283\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Alex Lytle&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-283","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/283","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=283"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/283\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":635,"href":"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/283\/revisions\/635"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lytle.org.uk\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=283"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}