It was to all intents a standard SOE operation learnt on the Lochs of Scotland, that involved two men in a canoe who paddled up to the side of the intended target.

While one held the canoe steady the other with a limpet mine attached to a long pole fastened it to the ship below the water line, the timer was set for a three hour delay. Lyons and his crew watched with satisfaction the ships explode from Dongas a nearby island.

He was awarded the DSO for leading Operation JAYWICK and had Australian Prime Minister John Curtin's recommendation been accepted, he would have been awarded the Victoria Cross for his exploits with SOE.

But like so many recommendations to the British government at the time for the VC, his was turned down

A follow up raid by Lyons resulted in failure, both he and the men that went with him were executed by the Japanese, The missions code name was.

Rimaru

In it were the following   8159 Lt W.G. Carey AIF ....W.G. Falls D.S.M. ...Able Seaman S6543 RANVR ...NX80005 Cpl R.B. Fletcher AIF...PX109893 Sgt D.P. Gooley AIF ....MX140476 L/Cpl J.T. Hardy AIF ...Maj R.M. Ingeleton, Royal Marines....MX19158 Capt R.C. Page DSO AIF ....VX15290 Lt A.L. Sargent AIF .....WX15839 Cpl C.M. Stewart AIF .....VX52236 WOII A.Warren AIF

Researches in the PRO file HS 1/257 HS 1/258 Operation- JAYWICK China Seas project- destruction of shipping in Singapore harbour (Major Ivan Lyon)