Alexander Henry MAXWELL-HYSLOP, GC
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No. & Rank at the Time of Action: Lieutenant-Commander
Unit/Occupation: Royal Navy
Date and Place of Birth: 25th May 1895, Woolwich
Family: The son of Colonel Robert Maxwell Hyslop RE and his wife Emily Clara Brock. His father was a descendent of John Maxwell of Terraughty and the Hyslop family of Lotus. His uncle, on his mother's side, was Admiral of the Fleet Sir Osmond de Beauvior Brock. Alexander married Cecelia Joan Bayly and had twin sons Alexander Bayly and Robert John born at Ivybridge, Devon, 6th June 1931
Early Life: Alexander Maxwell-Hyslop was educated at Rottingdean near Brighton and in 1907 he entered Osbourne Naval School moving on to Dartmouth Naval College at the age of 15. He went to sea as a Midshipman in 1913 just before Britain was plunged into the Great War. His first ship was HMS Centurion, but soon after the start of the war he was transferred to the Royal Naval Air Station at Polegate in Sussex. Here he served on four airships the, No 9, SS1, SS10 and the SS12. Alexander was a very fit, athletic young man and during the war he won the heavy-weight boxing championship of the Grand Fleet as a light heavy-weight. Later in the war he served on to HMS Africa, HMS Repulse and HMS Revenge. After the war, now a Lieutenant, Alexander was stationed on Whale Island at the gunnery course and later served on HMS Ceres and HMS Furious. During the early 1920's, he led the Royal Navy rugby team's forwards for three years. Lieutenant Maxwell Hyslop was further promoted and by 1929, he was a Lieutenant Commander serving as Gunnery Officer on board HMS Devonshire.
Date and Place of GC Action: 26th July 1929
The London Gazette: 11th November 1929