| Sir Robert Edward Laycock | |
|---|---|
Major General Sir Robert "Lucky" Laycock |
|
| Born | April 18, 1907 London, England |
| Died | March 10, 1968 (aged 60) |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | British Army |
| Years of service | 1927 – 1947 |
| Rank | Major General |
| Commands held | Combined Operations Special Service Brigade Layforce |
| Battles/wars |
Second World War |
| Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George Companion of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order Knight of the Venerable Order of St John |
| Other work | Governor of Malta Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire |
Major General Sir Robert Edward Laycock KCMG, CB, DSO, KStJ (18 April 1907 – 10 March 1968) was a British soldier, most famous for his service with the commandos during the Second World War. Laycock is probably the model (in some respects) for Tommy Blackhouse in Evelyn Waugh's Sword of Honour trilogy.
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Laycock was born in London on April 18, 1907, the eldest son of Brigadier General Sir Joseph Frederick Laycock (d. 1952), a Royal Artillery officer,[1] by his marriage to Katherine Mary Hare (1872–1959), previously married to the 6th Marquess of Downshire (d. 1918), and herself a granddaughter of William Hare, 2nd Earl of Listowel. Laycock was thus a half-brother of the 7th Marquess of Downshire. Their sister Josephine (d. 1958) married the 2nd Lord Daresbury and is grandmother of the present Baron.[2]
Laycock was close to his father, who was knighted for his services during the First World War.
Highly intelligent, he was educated at Lockers Park and Eton College, followed by officer training at the Royal Military College Sandhurst, from which he emerged as a well-read young man with a scientific bent.
In 1927 Laycock was commissioned into the Royal Horse Guards.[3]
In 1935 he married Angela Claire Louise, daughter of William Dudley Ward, a Conservative Member of Parliament. They went on to have two sons and three daughters.[4]
When the Second World War broke out in 1939 Laycock's interest in science led to his being appointed to the chemical warfare section of the British Expeditionary Force in France. This was a dead end position, and Laycock was sent home to attend the Staff college, thus missing the Battle of France.
In the summer of 1940 Winston Churchill appointed Admiral of the Fleet Sir Roger Keyes as head of Combined Operations, and Keyes soon sent for Laycock, whom he knew by reputation. Laycock was then a Captain in the Royal Horse Guards and had just received a posting to India. The actor David Niven later claimed that he had introduced Laycock to the Commandos, as Laycock was related to his wife Primula Susan Rollo.[5] Niven claimed to have helped to arrange for Laycock to be interviewed by Dudley Clarke, which resulted in another officer being assigned to India and Laycock going on to form Number 8 Commando.
Laycock was appointed by Keyes to the Commandos[3] and was put in charge of raising one unit. He raised and trained a body of men, often drawing on his wide circle of friends. From the first, the outfit attracted men with initiative and enterprise, often those who could think along unorthodox lines. Mostly, the choices were good, but regular units sometimes used the opportunity to get rid of those who did not fit in. Much of the training was done in Western Scotland.
Troops from Nos. 3, 4, 7, 8 and 11 Commandos, organised as three 'Special Service' Battalions and collectively named Layforce) were sent to the Middle East in February 1941 under the command of Laycock in the rank of full Colonel. A fourth 'Special Service' Battalion formed from locally raised Commando (No. 50 and No. 52 Commando) was added to the force on arrival and came under command of the newly raised 6 Division. An attack on the Italian island of Pantelleria was planned. This would have given Britain airfields to protect convoys passing through the central Mediterranean Sea. However the plan was overtaken by events.
Looking for a role, the Commandos were assigned to raid the Axis held port of Bardia in the Italian Colony of Libya. The raid produced few material results, but taught valuable lessons, especially about the need to move quickly. One indirect result was that the Germans temporarily pulled back a brigade sized battle group from the forward area to guard against future attacks.
The Greek island of Crete was under attack by German airborne troops and the British garrison was in danger of capture. Layforce was the only general reserve available to General Sir Archibald Wavell, the British Commander-in-Chief in the Middle East. It was sent to Crete at a time when the issue was in doubt, but when it arrived its mission was to cover the evacuation of British and Imperial forces.
Layforce arrived at Suda Bay on Crete on the night of April 26/27, 1941. They held a defensive position blocking the main road inland to Sphakia. They attracted heavy air attack. Laycock's personal assistant was the novelist, Evelyn Waugh, a personal friend who showed conspicuous bravery throughout.
Laycock's leadership throughout the Crete campaign was exemplary, on one occasion personally routing a night-time German attack on his headquarters, by jumping in a tank that happened to be nearby and driving over the invaders.
Both Waugh and Laycock were on the last British ship out of Crete, before it fell. The force lost 600 men in the campaign, a casualty rate of 75%.
Laycock also led the 1941 Operation Flipper raid to capture General Erwin Rommel which failed with significant casualties, including Roger Keyes' son, Geoffrey Keyes, VC. Laycock escaped and made his way overland with Sergeant Jack Terry (Later awarded the MM and served with further distinction in the SAS and post-war in the British Nottingham City Police) to British forces, after two months behind enemy lines.
In 1942, Laycock returned to England as commander of the Special Service Brigade. He led his brigade in the assault on Sicily in 1943 and in the brutal Salerno campaign where his forces held the bridgehead for 11 days and suffered 50% casualties. He received the Distinguished Service Order for this service.
In October, 1943 Laycock was promoted to major-general and succeeded Lord Louis Mountbatten as chief of Combined Operations, a position he held until 1947.[3]
He then retired to his family home at Wiseton, Nottinghamshire, England where he managed his property.
In 1954, his old friend, Anthony Head, now Secretary of State for War appointed Laycock to the position of Commander-in-Chief and Governor of Malta.[3]
This was during a period of tensions surrounding a drive for independence, with Dom Mintoff leading the campaign to remove the British presence. Laycock served until 1959, having had his term extended twice. His tenure has been judged a success.
Laycock's last years were good, though circulation problems meant constant pain in one leg. He was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire in 1962.
A noted horseman, yachtsman and book collector, Laycock's varied interests made him a man who could enjoy life. It was said that he had no enemies.
While walking back from Sunday church services on March 10, 1968, Laycock had a heart attack and died.
His estate was probated at 279,910 pounds sterling.
Laycock was married in 1935 to Claire Angela Louise Dudley Ward (1916–1999), or Angela Clare Louise, or Angie,[6] younger daughter of The Right Honourable William Dudley Ward, Liberal MP for Southampton by his wife Freda Dudley Ward née Winifred May Birkin, granddaughter of Sir Thomas Isaac Birkin, 1st Baronet. By his wife, he had two sons, and three daughters.[7] His wife Angela, Lady Laycock, died in 1999.
Issue
| Honorary titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by The Duke of Portland |
Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire 1962–1968 |
Succeeded by Robert Sherbrooke |