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Raymond Lygo

1924 – 2012

Royal Navy officer who went on to be Vice Chief of the Naval Staff

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About Raymond Lygo

Lived 1924 – 2012 (aged 87). Raymond Lygo was a British naval officer and military officer.

Admiral Sir Raymond Derek Lygo, (15 March 1924 – 7 March 2012) was a Royal Navy officer who served as Vice Chief of the Naval Staff from 1975 to 1978.

Naval career Educated at Ilford County High School and Clark's College, Bromley, Lygo joined the Royal Navy at HMS St. Vincent (Fleet Air Arm basic training establishment in Gosport, Hampshire) in 1942 during the Second World War. He was appointed the commanding officer of the frigate in 1961, the frigate in 1967 and the aircraft carrier in 1969. While in command of the latter in 1971, the Ark Royal collided with a Soviet cruiser that was shadowing her during an exercise in the Mediterranean. Damage to both vessels was slight, though two Soviet crewmen went missing. Lygo was cleared of any responsibility in the subsequent inquiry. He was next appointed Director-General, Naval Manpower and Training from February 1974 to June 1975. He went on to be Vice Chief of the Naval Staff in 1975, and retired in March 1978.

Later life After retirement, Lygo joined British Aerospace, becoming Chief Executive in 1986.

Lygo went on to be Chairman of the Rutland Trust in 1991, Chairman of TNT (Express) UK Ltd in 1992 and Chairman of the Liontrust First UK Investment Trust in 1997.

Family In 1950, Lygo married Pepper Van Osten; they had two sons and one daughter.

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Important facts

Birth century
Education
Ilford County High School
Awards
Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath; Order of the Bath
Also known as
Raymond Derek Lygo, Sir Raymond Lygo, Sir Raymond Derek Lygo

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Raymond Lygo's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Raymond Lygo?

Royal Navy officer who went on to be Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (1924-2012)

When was Raymond Lygo born?

Raymond Lygo was born on 15 March 1924 in Essex.

When did Raymond Lygo die?

Raymond Lygo died on 7 March 2012 in Portugal.

What was Raymond Lygo's occupation?

Raymond Lygo was a naval officer and military officer.

What nationality was Raymond Lygo?

Raymond Lygo was British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Raymond Lygo

· Wikidata: Q1644961

· DBpedia: Raymond Lygo

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Raymond Lygo. https://biography.guide/raymond-lygo/

MLA: "Raymond Lygo." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/raymond-lygo/.

Chicago: "Raymond Lygo." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/raymond-lygo/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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