Name
Cecil William John Layton
29 August 1892
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
09/10/1916
25
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
31688
Northumberland Fusiliers
11th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 10B, 11B and 12B
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Barkway Village Memorial, St Mary Magdalene Church Memorial, Barkway, Newsells Memorial Stone, St Mary's Church Memorial, Reed
Pre War
Cecil William John Layton was born on 29 Aug 1892 in Noel Villas, Reed, Herts, the eldest son of William Henry and Hannah Layton (nee Hale) and one of eight children, although two died in infancy. He was baptised on 16 October 1892 at St Mary's Church, Reed, and educated at Barkway School, Herts.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at Noel Villas, Reed where his father was working as a horsekeeper on a farm. They remained there in 1911, at which time, Cecil was working as a farm labourer. the family later lived at the Cottages, Bury Farm, Newsells, Barkway, Herts.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Royston on 1 March 1916. and initially joined the Bedfordshire Regiment under reg no. 26841, later transferring to the 11th (Service) Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers, serving in France from 1 July 1916.
Cecil was reported missing after a night attack at Le Sars on 9 October 1916 and later assumed to have been killed in action on that date. He has known grave and his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.
Additional Information
His mother received a war gratuity of £3 and pay owing of £3 7s 7d. A pension card exists in respect of Oliver and his brother Cecil with his mother as dependant but no pension amount is recorded.
Brother of Oliver Frederick Layton who served with the Bedfordshire Regiment who was killed in action on 23 April 1917 and is listed on the same Hertfordshire memorials.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Paul Johnson, Adrian Pitts, Malcolm Lennox
