Geoffrey Layton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Geoffrey Layton
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Layton in 1915
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| Born | 20 April 1884 Liverpool, England |
| Died | 4 September 1964 (aged 80) Portsmouth, England |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1899–1947 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands held | Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth (1945–47) Commander-in-Chief, Ceylon (1942–45) Eastern Fleet (1941–42) China Station (1940–41) 1st Battle Squadron (1939–40) Battlecruiser Squadron (1938–39) HMS Renown (1937–38) HMS Swordfish (1916–17) HMS E13 (1914–15) |
| Battles/wars | First World War Second World War |
| Awards | Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George Distinguished Service Order Knight of the Legion of Honour (France) Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau (Netherlands) |
Admiral Sir Geoffrey Layton (born April 20, 1884 – died September 4, 1964) was a brave officer in the Royal Navy. He became famous during the First World War when his submarine, HMS E13, got stuck near Denmark. Even after this event, he rose to become a very important leader in the Second World War. He retired in 1947 after a long and successful career.
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Geoffrey Layton was born in Liverpool, England. His father was a lawyer. Geoffrey went to a special school for naval officers, Eastman's Royal Naval Academy.
He joined the Royal Navy on May 15, 1899, as a young cadet on a ship called HMS Britannia. After that, he served on different cruisers in the English Channel and near the United States.
Layton became a lieutenant on November 30, 1905. He then joined the navy's submarine group, where he got his first command. He spent many years commanding submarines, especially during the First World War.
First World War Adventures
In 1915, Layton was in charge of the submarine HMS E13. His mission was to help the Russians in the Baltic Sea. However, on August 18, 1915, his submarine accidentally got stuck on the coast of Denmark.
Early the next morning, a German torpedo boat attacked E13. Half of Layton's crew sadly lost their lives. Layton and the remaining crew were taken to Copenhagen and held there.
But Layton was determined! Three months later, he dressed up like a local sailor and managed to escape back to Britain. For his bravery, he received the Distinguished Service Order at the end of the war.
Between the World Wars
After the First World War, Layton continued to rise through the ranks. He became a captain in 1922. He held important jobs, like being the Chief of Staff for submarine forces.
In the late 1920s, he worked at the British Admiralty, which was like the navy's headquarters. He also attended a special course at the Royal College of Defence Studies. From 1931 to 1933, he was Chief of Staff on the China Station, a naval base in Asia.
Later, he commanded the Royal Naval Base at Portsmouth. Then, he moved to lead groups of powerful battlecruisers. He commanded the Battlecruiser Squadron from 1938 to 1939.
Just before the Second World War started, Layton became the second-in-command of the Mediterranean Fleet. He was in charge of a group of battleships, including HMS Barham, HMS Warspite, and HMS Malaya.
Second World War Leadership
In September 1940, Layton took command of the China Station. In May 1941, he learned that Admiral Sir Tom Phillips would take over from him.
Two powerful warships, HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse, were sent to Singapore in December 1941. They were meant to scare off any Japanese attacks. Layton told the people of Malaya that these ships would make their defenses stronger.
On December 10, Layton handed over his command to Phillips and prepared to go home. But later that same day, the Prince of Wales and Repulse were tragically sunk by Japanese air attacks off Malaya. Because of this, Layton was quickly called back to become the Commander-in-Chief, Eastern Fleet.
Defending Ceylon
In March 1942, Layton was given a new and very important job: Commander-in-Chief, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). He was even given temporary rank of Admiral and had great power to improve the island's defenses.
Layton found that Ceylon's defenses were not ready for war. Harbors were messy, and ships were waiting in dangerous open areas. He immediately started working to improve radar systems, civil defense, and Colombo's air raid warning system.
However, time was short. On April 5, 1942, Japanese aircraft attacked Colombo, Ceylon. They sank several Allied ships. It could have been much worse, but Layton had ordered many warships and merchant ships to leave the harbors, saving them from being easy targets.
On April 9, the Japanese attacked Trincomalee harbor. They also found and sank an aircraft carrier, a destroyer, and a corvette at sea. The Japanese then returned to the Pacific. On April 11, Layton announced that the enemy had left Ceylon.
The Impact of the Raids
The defense of Ceylon was not perfect, but it was not a complete disaster either. The Royal Air Force and Fleet Air Arm had few effective planes, but they still fought bravely. They shot down many Japanese aircraft during the raids.
Layton's early warning system had some problems, but his quick actions to move ships saved many from being destroyed. Historian Arthur Bryant praised Layton's work, saying that his actions helped turn the tide of the war. He said that the defense of Ceylon was a major assault that the Japanese had failed to win.
Layton stayed as Commander-in-Chief of Ceylon until 1945. He was honored for his work and promoted to admiral. He also received awards from the Netherlands and France.
Later Life and Retirement
After the war ended, Layton returned to the United Kingdom. He became the Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth, a major naval base. He held this important position until he retired from the navy in 1947.
Sir Geoffrey Layton passed away in Portsmouth on September 4, 1964, at the age of 80. He had three daughters.
See also
- Indian Ocean Raid
- Participation of Ceylon in World War II
- South-East Asian Theatre of World War II#Indian Ocean
